Cottages left to burn

Stratford (WTNH) - Firefighters say it looks like another case of arson on some empty beach-front property in Stratford. Cottages along Long Beach West went up in flames yesterday, and this isn't the first time they caught fire.

"It does look like the fire was set intentionally," said Mayor James Miron (D-Stratford).

Three cottages went up in flames Sunday night, exactly a year after three others were deliberately torched.

All 45 cottages have been empty for years. A 1996 fire destroyed the only bridge from the mainland. The city of Bridgeport evicted cottage owners from its Pleasure Beach and later, the town of Stratford did the same.

Now the cottages have sit empty, attractive to vandals, even though the only way out there is by boat or by foot at low tide.

"They are probably the definition of what is called an attractive nuisance," said Mayor Miron.

The town has asked the state Department of Environmental Protection to run a controlled burn to get rid of the cottages. That request was denied.

The town had placed surveillance cameras out there, but vandals have repeatedly disabled them.

"We can't put a fence around it, it would cost to much it would be impractical. We can't station enough police officers because its a fairly large area," said Mayor Miron.

The town still owns the land on which the cottages sit, even though voters approved selling it to the U.S Fish and Wild Life Service. Right now the non-profit Trust for Public Land is working to raise the nearly two million dollars to demolish the cottages, paving the way for a bird sanctuary.

"So there is all there is due diligence that needs to take place fundraising that needs to take place to get the money to demolish the 45 structures, though obviously there are a few less now," Mayor Miron said.

There are now discussions to remove any remaining cottage propane tanks. Those tanks proved a real risk to firefighters last night.