The second of two houses destroyed when a plane crashed down on Charter Oak Avenue in East Haven will be demolished today.
A plane from Tererboro Airport in New Jersey was coming in for a landing at Tweed-New Haven Airport just before 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 9 when it crashed into the houses at 64 and 68 Charter Oak Avenue.
That crash quickly turned to tragedy when it became clear that Sade Brantley, 13, and 1-year-old sister, Madisyn Mitchell, were inside their home at 64 Charter Oak Avenue and did not get out alive.
The pilot and his son were also killed in the crash.
Mayor Joseph Maturo said he has met with Joanna Mitchell, the mother of Sade and Madisyn, for any last items she wanted out of her family’s home before it is razed.
Connecticut Tank Removal, Inc., based in Bridgeport, has begun the demolition.
“Although the homeowner’s insurance company has kept the Town abreast of its efforts to have the home taken down, the process has not moved as quickly as we would have liked. As a result, I contacted CT DEEP and Governor Malloy’s office to request State assistance to have the home immediately taken down,” Maturo said.
Officials said the demolition will happen in two stages.
The top half, which was mostly unaffected by contaminants, will be disposed at one location.
The lower half, which was contaminated by jet fuel, will be sent to a second location to be properly treated, according to the mayor’s office.
Staff from the State Emergency Response and Spill Prevention Division will assess the site before the National Transportation Safety Board performs a last review to complete its investigation, according to the mayor’s office.
After the assessments, soil and debris will be removed.
“Especially over the past week, neighbors have contacted me and requested that I do something to speed up the demolition process. Understanding their need for closure and the need for the property to be remediated before contaminants spread any further, I reached out to DEEP and secured the resources necessary to have the home demolished. I am pleased that the entire demolition and remediation processes will be completed in less than 48 hours,” Maturo said.
Maturo said the owners of the two houses plan to rebuild and there are plans to build a memorial to the girls in town.
