Fire being treated as triple homicide

New Haven, Conn. (WTNH) - A multi-family home in New Haven is being treated as a crime scene following an early morning fire that left three people dead.

"We are considering this a triple homicide at this point. The building is being held as a crime scene and the investigation is being led by Major Crimes of the NHPD," Mayor John DeStefano said in a Wednesday afternoon press conference.

The state police arson unit is also assisting with the investigation.

The names of the victims have not been released, but the New Haven Register reports that the victims are a boy, 8 or 9 years old, his mother, and a young woman in late teens to early 20s.

The fire was reported around 1:30 a.m. at the intersection of Poplar Street and Wolcott Street.  Report It video taken by neighbors shows fire shooting through the roof of the building. It took firefighters about 15 minutes to knock it down. 11 people were hospitalized and treated for smoke inhalation.

Some people trapped on the second and third floors jumped out of the inferno to the ground and two children were tossed out of the fire to neighbors waiting on the ground.

"Firefighters removed two people off the front porches under some very extreme conditions," Chief Michael Grant, New Haven Fire Department, said. "Also, they made some very aggressive attacks on the fire into the second and third floors, finding the victims on the top floor."

There are four apartments in the building; two of the units on the first floor were vacant. Ten family members lived in one unit and five family members lived in the other. They were Section 8 units and they all had working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Terri Payne came back to see the destruction in the light of day. She says her cousin died while waking everybody up to get out of the house. Those who survived tell Terri it took them by surprise.

"Everything happened so fast that it was crazy. They didn't know which way to go, when they touched a door knob it was hot, they just didn't know where to go. So, I mean, it's bad and it's sad and it's a terrible loss for our family and our friends," Terri said.

The displaced residents are being assisted by the Red Cross.

Police say they are asking for the public's help in the case, specifically information about a dark-colored minivan that was spotted leaving the scene. Call 203-946-6304 with your tips.