The victim was identified as Nilda Ruiz, 48.
Police and a firefighter told relatives the news across the street as firefighters battled the blaze.
“This a tragedy and very unfortunate,” said Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto, who was on scene. “There are many families affected by this. We’re trying to fish through the data. The state fire marshal is on the way and so is the Red Cross.”
Five families were displaced.
By late Sunday, a “Go Fund Me” page listed a family from the fire as the beneficiary. Click here.
State police sent out a press release about 9 p.m. Sunday saying detectives from the state’s Fire and Explosion Investigative Unit had taken over the investigation into the fire as of 2 p.m.
The state unit took over at the request of the state’s attorney office, according to a prepared statement.
“The Office of the Chief State’s Medical Examiner also responded and will conduct a post-mortem examination to determine cause of death,” state police said.
According to the account from state police “after the fire was suppressed it was determined that one person was unaccounted for.”
“A search of the fire scene was conducted and one female was located deceased.”
Derby Police Chief Gerald Narowski, Deputy Chief Scott Todd and Lt. Justin Stanko were on scene Sunday morning, in addition to Derby patrol officers.
Derby Fire Department Chief Kurt Kemmesies, Jr. said firefighters and EMS initially responded to a report of a car crash around 7 a.m.
A maroon Pontiac Grand Am crashed into a parked car, then stopped in front of 204 – 206 Derby Ave. The impact from the crash was enough to trigger the Pontiac’s air bags and snap a tire from the car.
“We don’t know if the car accident was caused because they saw smoke, it’s still undetermined,” Kemmesies said.
It quickly turned into a fire call. Tones calling for firefighters to respond went out at 6:57 a.m. and 6:59 a.m., with a call saying “extra manpower will be needed” at 7:07 a.m.
Firefighters teamed to push the Pontiac out of the way to set up fire equipment.
“Initially we were told there was possibly one person in the building,” Kemmesies said. “We initiated a search and rescue before we had water on the fire. As soon as crews got in there we started advancing hose lines.”
A body was found on the second floor.
“When I got here there was heavy fire, mainly on the back of the building, but there was heavy fire on the first, second and third floors,” the chief said.
“It looks like the fire started inside, but it quickly extended to the outside because there were a series of porches running up the back of the building. Those were all fully involved,” Kemmesies said.
Note: The information regarding the origin of the first has been updated. Please click here.
An evacuation tone — done to remove firefighters from a potential deadly situation — sounded at 7:37 a.m.
There were at least five people in the multi-family house when the fire started, including Tracey Tantimonico, who was sleeping in a first-floor apartment with her two sons.
She and others in the house described a chaotic scene.
“A guy came out and he was banging on our door and then there was some explosion on the back of the house,” Tantimonico said.
They estimated there were seven to eight apartments in the building.
“I heard yelling, I heard banging, a black dude with dreads is banging on my door, he’s throwing metal poles through my window trying to wake us up. He saved us, man,” Jonathan Rodriguez, Tantimonico’s son, said.
The family got out — only to see a Grand Am crash in front of them.
“It was like the devil, bro,” Rodriguez said.
Matt Rossi lives in a second-floor apartment with Christine Cote.
“I was sleeping and woke up to a bang. I think it was somebody hitting a car out front or something. Then I heard soft tapping on the doors. I thought it was some type of argument or something, then I looked out and I see everybody from the building outside.”
He woke Cote and grabbed their two cats — one of whom gave Rossi a few nasty scratches on his forearm as he tried to carry it from the burning building.
The cats — “Joe” and “Cat” — ran away and were last seen heading toward the woods along the Naugatuck River. One of the cats is black. The other is orange and white. Both are over 10 years old.
Cote asked that if anyone sees the cats to call her at 203 685 6519.
Paul Cowell, 26, said his sister lives in the apartment house with his snake, Isis, a corn snake.
About an hour into the fire a firefighter emerged with the snake, still safe in its glass enclosure.
He hugged a firefighter.
More photos are posted on the Valley Indy Facebook page.
The damaged house is a few properties away from 196 Derby Ave., site of a fatal fire in 2010.
Ansonia and Shelton fire department were called to the scene, and firefighters from Orange were called to cover any additional calls for service.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
