NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (WTNH) — A deadly fire in New Britain that damaged a single-family house on Saturday night is still under investigation.
Officials say it started after 7:00 p.m. at 50 Shultz Street. Firefighters got to the house minutes after the 911 call came in. When they arrived they found flames coming from the front porch.
It was severely damaged and there was smoke damage to the rest of the house. They were able to get the fire under control in about ten minutes. When they searched the house to see if anyone was inside, they found a man dead on the front porch. The man has been identified as 56-year-old Michael P. Tocoinis. Police say he lived at the Shultz Street home.
“My husband would mow the lawn for him and [he was] just a lonely person, very ill,” said neighbor Maria Oquendo. “[He] had a lot of health losses and just sad to see him go that way.”
The New Britain and Connecticut State Fire Marshals and the New Britain Criminal Investigation Division are trying to determine where and how the fire started.
