Structure Fire in Moodus Considered Suspicious

A structure fire that occurred late on Monday afternoon at 36 Grist Mill Road in Moodus is under investigation by state and local fire marshals.

Officials said the fire is being considered suspicious in nature and the cause has not yet been determined.

The report of the blaze was originally called in at 5:23 p.m. and involved a new home under construction.

According to East Haddam Fire Chief Shawn Daigle, there was heavy smoke billowing from the eaves of the building upon their arrival. The fire had appeared to have originally started in the basement area and then continued up through the first floor and into the attic, before it was fully extinguished.

No injuries were reported.

Fire crews from Lyme, Haddam, Colchester-Hayward and East Hampton responded with mutual aid with extra manpower and tankers for sufficient water supply.

State and local police were on scene, as well as the Connecticut State Police Arson Unit with a trained arson K-9 for initial investigation.

The East Haddam Ambulance and the Colchester-Hayward Rapid Intervention Team (RIT), or Firefighter Assist & Search Team, were also on scene and on stand-by.

"Firefighters had to break windows and cut a hole in the roof to ventilate the fire. The building sustained some interior damage, mostly occurring at the center of the structure, but is not a total loss by any means," said Chief Daigle.

"The building was basically empty, other than a furnace located in the cellar, and there was nobody in the home at the time of the fire," he confirmed.