Pawcatuck mill raises fire concerns

Pawcatuck, Conn. (WTNH) - Major concerns are being raised about a shabby old building in Pawcatuck and the dangers some say it presents.

If anyone should be concerned about a possible fire in the vacant portion of the Thread Mill it would be the business right next door, Fabrigraphics.

Sounds of the more modern day stitching machines now fill the occupied half of the Thread Mill property on River Road in Pawcatuck. Fabrigraphics also has a working sprinkler system, but not in the vacant portion of the mill.

Nearby neighbors are afraid it could go up in flames.

"Yeah it would be a great concern if it did," said Loreene Tyler, "that's a big place. Huge."

The Pawcatuck fire marshal is equally concerned, sending an email to the First Selectman which says, "a fire or catastrophic collapse of this building could cause serious, if not life threatening injuries to people in close proximity."

This comes after the town halted efforts to fine the building owners, Poko Properties out of New York, for blight. The First Selectman says they are trying to get financing to develop the property, but News 8 wanted to know if more needs to be done to light a fire under those efforts.

First Selectman Ed Haberek says even though there are huge holes in the roof which allow rain to pour into the building, the electrical system is contained to another area of the mill. However, it's still too close for comfort for the fire marshal, especially with no working sprinkler system.

"The fire marshal has total authority to...," said Haberak, "if he feels the building is in difficult shape or is very concerned he can close it himself."

However, the fire marshal tells News 8 as long as the owners have active permits to build he doesn't know if he can order the electricity to be shut off. It is a big concern because that system is in a separate, but nearby section of the building where water pours in through a hole in the roof.

"In future meetings now I"m gonna request fire inspection documents of each of the buildings to make sure that they are safe," Haberak said, "and that we both are on the same plane of what the condition of the building is."

Haberak said a meeting is planned for next week.

For now it's a firewall and a fence which separate the vacant part of the building from neighbors.