Old Wauregan Firehouse fire Monday 1/9

[Megster]

I know I'm late in posting this but my dad's friend owns the firehouse in Wauregan that was set on fire Monday night.  Of course I was in Canada so I don't have any of my own pictures except pics I took of the building on Wednesday after I got back.  This was actually posted on this site way back when but I didn't really have good pictures of it. 

http://instagr.am/p/gQqZh/
http://instagr.am/p/gSFx1/

http://www.wfsb.com/story/16483408/fire-destroys-towns-first-firehouse

Foul play suspected in Wauregan fire
 
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VIDEO: Wauregan Restaurant Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UNyubsbec4&feature=player_embedded

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GALLERY: Fire damage at the Wauregan Restaurant
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/photos/x1312983823/GALLERY-Fire-damage-at-the-Wauregan-Restaurant

By ALISON SHEA
The Bulletin
Posted Jan 10, 2012 @ 09:42 PM
   
Plainfield, Conn. —

Plainfield police are in the initial stages of their investigation of a fire that destroyed a historic Wauregan building Monday night, a blaze investigators say was set.

Police Chief Robert Hoffman said his officers have interviewed fire investigators and the first firefighters to reach the scene of the blaze that heavily damaged what was the village's first fire station at Front and South Chestnut streets.

"We need to know what they saw when they arrived and to be able to document how the fire spread," Hoffman said.

Once that information has been gathered, police will talk to neighborhood residents to determine if they noticed any suspicious activity or recognized people who might have been near the building shortly before 6 p.m. when the fire was reported, Hoffman said.

A $2,500 reward has been posted under the auspices of the state's Arson Tip Line for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the fire.

The property, at 27 S. Chestnut St., is owned by James Holladay, whose address was listed as P.O. Box 225, Wauregan.

It is one of 39 properties the town has listed in a legal notice published on Dec. 29 to be sold at auction because of delinquent taxes. The notice indicates a total of $8,914.43 is owed the town and possibly the Wauregan Fire District in delinquent taxes.

Fire Marshal Paul Yellen said the fire started on an exterior rear wall and spread quickly up the wall to a roof overhang and then into the second floor and ultimately through the roof. He said investigators have not been able to determine if an accelerant was used to start the fire or cause it to spread.

Atwood Hose Co. Fire Chief Charles Colli said the building was filled with smoke and fire was visible in the rear wall when he arrived within a few minutes of the alarm.

"One of our first concerns was that someone might be trapped inside," Colli said. "There was a hole in the back of the building that was large enough that people could have climbed through it to get into the building."

As was the case in many mill villages, the Atwood Hose Co. was created by owners of the Atwood Mill to provide fire protection to the large mill complex and the homes in the village where mill executives and employees lived, Colli said. He said the building was believed to have been used as a firehouse as early as 1896.

Marge Hoskin, of Central Village, a member and former president of the Plainfield Historical Society, said local historic documents indicate the village jail also was attached to one side of the firehouse.

Firefighters from the Moosup, Central Village, Mortlake (Brooklyn) and Danielson departments helped Atwood Hose Co. firefighters battle the fire.

Read more: Foul play suspected in Wauregan fire - Norwich, CT - The Bulletin http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/x1312982373/Crews-battle-blaze-at-former-Wauregan-restaurant#ixzz1jM3fnHFG



Reward being offered in Plainfield arson case
Two individuals being sought

By JAMES MOSHER
The Bulletin
Posted Jan 13, 2012 @ 07:13 AM
   
Plainfield, Conn. —

An unspecified reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of two individuals believed to have set a Monday fire that destroyed the former Pizza House Cafe in the Wauregan section of Plainfield.

Plainfield police have secure surveillance footage showing two individuals near the building just before a flash of fire surged from the structure, officers said in a Friday press release. The two suspects fled towards the north side of town, police said. The point of origin of the blaze was the north side of the building an investigation that's still ongoing has determined.

Four fire crews responded at around 6:01 p.m. Monday. The building was unoccupied at the time of the fire, police said.

The amount of the reward, being offered by the State Arson Tip Line, was not disclosed in Friday's press release. Anyone with information is asked to call town police at (860) 564-0804 or the department's anonymous line at (860) 564-7065.

Read more: Reward being offered in Plainfield arson case - Norwich, CT - The Bulletin http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/x58612210/Reward-being-offered-in-Plainfield-arson-case#ixzz1jM3BhRSf