Wednesday, December 5, 2001
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WEATHERSFIELD -- The state fire marshal's office has joined the investigation of a blaze at a home under construction in the township.
Firefighters were called Tuesday morning to the house on Isabelle Court when a resident across the street saw the flames.
"It's an arson fire," said township Fire Chief Randy Pugh.
"No one's been in the house since June," the chief said.
It took firefighters about 15 minutes to knock down the fire.
"We had a good response," he said. "We have three stations and we had probably 25 men here. It was early enough that most of the volunteers were still at home."
Officers from the state fire marshal's office and the Metro Arson Task Force also responded.
Bankruptcy: Pugh said construction on the house, owned by Home Savings and Loan of Youngstown, stalled when a contractor declared bankruptcy.
Someone started fires in several spots around the house, but Pugh said the damage can be fixed. Samples from the areas where the fires were set are being sent to Columbus for analysis to determine the accelerant used.
A damage estimate hasn't been determined, but the chief thinks the home in the new upscale neighborhood of Oakwood Estates would be valued at about $250,000. Oakwood Estates is off Tibbetts-Wick Road.