Waterbury blaze caused by gas leak

WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) -- Investigators say a fire that destroyed a Waterbury house this afternoon was caused by a gas leak.

A private contractor was doing work on Proctor Street and they cut into a gas line that was supposed to have been shut off but it wasn't.

That started the fire and ended up causing an explosion at one point.

Yankee Gas crews were called in to shut off the gas line so firefighters could get the fire under control.

"A difficult fire to put out, just because it was being fueled the entire time by natural gas," said Battalion Chief John Perugini, Waterbury Fire Dept.

One family was reported to be home at the time, but was able to get out safely. The house was a total loss.

No injuries were reported.

The Red Cross is helping the six people who lived there find a place to stay.

Fire crews in Waterbury have been kept busy over the last 24 hours, first responding to a fire that is believed to have been intentionally set at an apartment complex on Bishop Street late Sunday night.