Update April 8 9:30 a.m.: A brush fire that burned about five acres of Osbornedale State Park in Derby Sunday was set intentionally, Derby Fire Marshal Phil Hawks said Monday (April 8) morning.
“Somebody lit this thing,” Hawks said.
Hawks said he could not say whether whoever started Sunday’s brush fire is also responsible for a rash of roadside brush fires from late last year and in January for which state police are offering a $2,500 reward for more information.
“It’s a possibility,” Hawks said. “We’re not ruling out anything. It could be the same person or it could be more than one person.”
Derby firefighters were initially dispatched to the area of Pink House Cove — a stretch of Route 34 between Cullens Hill Road and Lakeview Terrace — about 3:20 p.m. Sunday on a report of two brush fires about 100 yards apart. Hawks said that indicates someone set the fires.
“It can’t be accidental when the fire was in two different locations,” he said.
Authorities hope a witness might have seen something in the area around the time the fires started.
“We’re definitely going need the public’s help,” Hawks said. “More eyes is going to be the key to finding out who this person or persons is.”
The Connecticut Arson Tip Hotline is 800 – 842-7766.
Original story posted at 5:36 p.m. April 7 follows:
A brush fire on state property off Roosevelt Drive in Derby occupied firefighters from throughout the Valley Sunday afternoon.
Crews were initially dispatched to the area of Pink House Cove — a stretch of Route 34 between Cullens Hill Road and Lakeview Terrace — about 3:20 p.m. on a report of two brush fires about 100 yards apart.
Conditions Sunday meant brush fires could spread easily.
Firefighters from Oxford, Seymour, Ansonia, and Shelton were soon called to Derby to supply water and manpower.
The fire eventually spread out over a large area of Osbornedale State Park.
Readers commenting on the Valley Indy’s Facebook page also reported smoke throughout the area.
Roosevelt Drive was closed to traffic for several hours as crews battled to head off the blaze and then extinguish it.
By about 5:30 p.m. emergency radio dispatches indicated that most of the fire was out, and that crews were looking for any remaining hot spots before beginning to clear from the scene.
The location where the fires was first reported is the same area firefighters were called to in January to extinguish several brush fires officials believe were set intentionally.
State police are offering a reward for more information about those fires.
