One person is dead and more than a dozen families are displaced after a large fire in Waterbury on Monday morning.
Emergency crews responded to Colley Street across from Waterbury Hospital around 10 a.m.
The fire broke out in a large multi-purpose building on the corner of Colley Street and Robbins Street.
The building includes 12 apartments on the upper floors and two retail establishments on the ground floor.
One person died as a result of the fire, according to Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary's office. Fire officials identified the victim as 68-year-old Elias Kouhlis.
There are at least 14 families who live in the apartments, city officials said. The Red Cross is providing assistance to those who were displaced.
"I’m deeply saddened by yesterday’s devastating fire on Colley Street that claimed the life of a Waterbury resident and uprooted the lives of 14 families. The city immediately contacted the American Red Cross, who responded to the scene to assist families with immediate needs, and provide comfort kits, recovery envelopes, and community partner referrals," O'Leary said in part in a statement on Tuesday.
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A two-family home next door also caught fire. Everyone in that house was able to escape safely, Waterbury Fire Chief Terrence Ballou said.
The fire has been ruled accidental. Several people were working on a motor scooter which had a mechanical issue and caught fire. The flames quickly spread to the buildings, according to Chief Ballou.
