The home of Sade Bryant and Madisyn Mitchell, two girls killed when a plane crashed into it August 9, was demolished on Wednesday, as neighbors on Charter Oak Avenue and James Street in East Haven looked on.
"The memories are gone," said Edward Tracey, who rushed to the scene after a twin-engine turbo prop fell from the sky on approach to Tweed-New Haven Airport.
"I was just saying to myself, 'Boy, the poor kids suffered for nothing. All because of the stupid pilot," he said.
Also killed in the crash were the pilot, Bill Henningsgaard, a former Microsoft executive in Seattle, and his 17-year-old son, Maxwell.
"And I tell you," said Tracey, "after the first time I seen the flames -- that was awhile back now -- I was so hurt inside me."
State and local authorities lost patience with the pilot's insurance company and directed DEEP to hire demolition contractor Connecticut Tank Removal of Bridgeport.
DEEP's Cost Recovery Unit will pursue the insurance company for reimbursement for demolition and cleanup.
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"All the contaminated materials that are now in the basement will be removed as contaminated waste and sent off to an approved facility," said Jeff Chandler, of DEEP's Emergency Response Unit.
He said if soil samples show the ground around the home is contaminated, it will be removed too.
