Middle School Student Perishes in Enfield House Fire

A teenage girl who attended John F. Kennedy Middle School was killed in a late-night fire Wednesday that tore through her family's home in the Shaker Pines Lake area of Enfield.

Fire officials would not release the victim's identity, but the girl's uncle confirmed the death of his niece, Hope Hart, inside the home at 50 Hassmar Road.

The fire was reported at 11:26 p.m., and was fully involved by the time firefighters arrived, said Mark Zarcaro, public information officer for the Enfield fire departments.

Two adults were able to escape the burning house, but were unsuccessful in their attempts to reach the top floor, where Hope Hart's body was found around 1:15 a.m.

In the course of battling the blaze, three firefighters sustained non-life threatening injuries when a deck collapsed at the rear of the home, Shaker Pines Fire Chief Charlie Macsata said.

The fire was deemed under control by 12:45, and representatives of the state fire marshal's office were on the scene shortly thereafter. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Macsata said.

Stunned family members and neighbors expressed their sadness at the loss of Hope Hart.

"Everybody in the neighborhood knew her," said her uncle, Pat Hart. "Shaker Pines Lake has always been a tight-knit community, It's not just going to affect our family; it will affect the entire community."

Nelson Rodriguez, a neighbor who serves as president of the Shaker Pines Lake Association, said, "Hope was a wonderful kid, well-known by the neighbors, and someone everybody looked out for. She was a bright, delightful, polite girl who always brought a smile to my face. The community will come together and help the family any way we can."