Fire Set In Abandoned Power Plant At Fairfield Hills

By Andrew Gorosko

Fire officials are seeking help from the public in investigating who set a fire at the abandoned power plant at Fairfield Hills late Wednesday afternoon.

After a janitor for the nearby Reed Intermediate School spotted smoke coming from the abandoned power plant and called in a fire report, Newtown Hook & Ladder, Sandy Hook, and Hawleyville firefighters went to the scene at 5:37 pm.

Firefighters found that combustible materials were on fire in a small office area that overlooks the floor of the power generation room at the power plant, said Fire Marshal Bill Halstead. Firefighters put out the small fire with water carried on a fire truck.

Joe Miller, the second assistant chief of Hook & Ladder, was incident commander.

The fire did not do much damage, but did destroy combustible items in the office area, Mr Halstead said. Also, investigators found that two other fires had been set within the building, but that they had burned themselves out, he said. The state fire marshal’s office is also investigating the blaze because the building is owned by the state.

There were no injuries in the fire. A damage estimate was not available because the building is abandoned.

When Fairfield Hills was a state psychiatric hospital, the power plant was used to generate electricity and steam heat for the complex. The structure contains decaying boilers and electric generators.

Mr Halstead said there was no evidence in the power plant that anyone has been living inside the abandoned building.

 Mr Halstead asked anyone with information on who set the fire to contact him at the town fire marshal’s office at 270-4370.

Also, people with information on the fire may contact the Connecticut Arson Hotline at 800-84ARSON. The state offers rewards for information leading to the conviction of arsonists.