By John Burgeson
Connecticut Post Online
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — A family of four has been left homeless by a fire early Sunday that may have been set.
The blaze hit a mixed-se building, at 2819 Main St. -- across the street from St. Vincent’s Medical Center -- that housed a psychiatrist’s office on the first two floors and an apartment on the third.
The family living in the apartment -- a father, mother and two small children -- fled the premises after calling the Fire Department. The building is owned by St. Vincent’s.
Ron Bianchi, the hospital’s corporate senior vice president, said that arson is a suspected cause of the fire.
“I was there all day on Sunday and the arson squad was there collecting evidence,” he said. “Apparently, an accelerant may have been used -- the fire started in an area where drugs are kept.”
Bianchi said the St. Vincent’s community is pulling together to get the displaced family temporary housing, as well as warm clothing and other essentials. “We do have other apartments, so we might be able to help them with a place to life for the time being.”
The Red Cross is also assisting the family, he said.
Fire Department spokesman Mike Giannotti said that the fire was reported about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, and remained on the scene for about two hours. The building suffered heavy damage on one side. “They had working smoke detectors, so they did get out safely,” he said.
The first two floors housed the offices of Columbia Mental Health, which is run by Dr. Lazaro Pomeraniec. Attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.
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