Somers mill fire under investigation

SOMERS, Conn. (WTNH) -- Still simmering 24 hours later, small plumes of smoke were billowing from twisted steel after a mill fire in Somers.

It was a scene for spectators Sunday morning.

"It's too bad it's a nice old building, it's to bad they hadn't done anything with it," said Ken Margelongy, of Ellington.

The Saturday morning fire was fierce, with flames moving quickly and easily eating through the Somersville Mill.

The mill was built in the 1830's and empty for years, and many folks said they half expected this to happen.

"I always thought it could happen cause it's been abandoned for a while," said Larry Boulay, of Somers.

Now that the fire has been put out, the focus shifts to the cause.

Investigators from the State Fire Marshal's office are using dogs, sifting through the rubble to see if it will reveal any clues.

"Something like this could be a very long investigation," said Fire Chief Gary Schiessl, "just as the church fire was several months ago."

It can be considered a form of deja vu, as most of the volunteer firefighters that responded to the five-alarm fire were the same that just six months ago tried to save another historic building in town.

In January, the 170-year-old Somers Congregational United Church of Christ burned to the ground . A historic part of the landscape was wiped out.

"We had that fire at the church recently and then we got this one here," said Boulay.

At this time, it's unclear when the structure might be demolished.