Police are continuing to investigate an arson that damaged a commercial building in Bloomfield, with the help of the DEA and other agencies. Nearby workers were surprised to see their presence.
“When I came in, it was a mess and there were a lot of police cars and police activity," said Lauren Ouellette.
Ouellette describes saw the scene on West Newberry Road in Bloomfield on her way to work nearby. A fire tore through a commercial building early Monday morning. Bloomfield firefighters say it damaged office spaces with no one inside.
“I panicked a little bit when I heard and then when I found out it was across the street, it was a little bit of a relief,” she said.
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The fire marshal determined the cause to be arson, but what was most surprising to nearby workers was seeing Drug Enforcement Administration agents at the scene.
Crews there could be seen taking out boxes and putting material in evidence bags while combing the building for hours.
“It just been always a quiet business-oriented avenue so I’m extremely surprised,” Sandra Rich, who works nearby, said.
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Bloomfield police say it’s working with various agencies including the DEA and state police. Officers say the DEA was called in to provide technical assistance for the arson investigation.
Ouellette says she remembers a business opening up in the building about a month ago, replacing a number of others that came and left over the years.
“Last I knew, there was an employment agency moving in there,” she said.
Whatever the reason is for such a large investigation, she didn’t expect it to be so close to work.
“I was very surprised to hear that this was going on in our little neighborhood here,” Ouellette said.
Police and the DEA did not give any details on whether drugs are involved in this arson investigation.
