Fire dept. says fire at Ansonia Copper and Brass may have been intentional
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ANSONIA, CT (WFSB) — Crews put out a fire at a commercial building in Ansonia Friday evening.
The blaze broke out at the old Ansonia Copper and Brass building on Liberty Street.
Firefighters responded to the fire around 5 p.m. Flames were coming out of several windows.
“We were here in a couple of minutes, and we had it out of two or three windows. It took off to six or seven in a matter of seconds,” said Asst. Fire Chief Anthony Dellucia, Ansonia Fire Department. “We were pulling lines off the truck, and the roof collapsed.”
“That is quite the fire. That is quite the fire,” said Richard Flax, Ansonia.
A man told fire crews that before the fire happened, he saw two people go in, but nobody came out.
After two checks of the building, crews believe nobody was inside, but there are still questions about how the fire started.
“The building has been vacant for about 20 years, so you use your… what you think it is,” Dellucia said.
In a post made on Facebook Sunday morning, the fire department said they are asking for the public’s help in identifying anyone who may have started the fire.
“Arson is a serious offense that puts lives at risk and poses a threat to the community,” the Ansonia Fire Department said in the post.
Due to the history of the building, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was called for possible chemical contamination.
The neighboring apartments have been deemed safe to stay in.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Ansonia police department, the Ansonia Fire Marshal’s office, and the Connecticut arson hotline.
Ansonia police: 203-735-1885
Ansonia Fire Marshals office: 203-734-3525
CT Arson Hotline: 1-800-842-7766
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