CT woman found dead in alleged illegal attic apartment following house fire: city official

A woman was found in what is believed to be an illegal attic apartment following a house fire Monday, the mayor said.

Firefighters with the New Britain Fire Department responded to a two-family home on Belden Street just before 12:30 p.m. on the report of a fire in the attic and encountered heavy flames coming from the top floor upon arrival, according to New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart.

Stewart said a man had jumped from a window of the home prior to firefighters arriving and was taken to an area hospital to be treated for burns. He was initially listed in critical condition.

Two other people were able to make it out of the home safely.

After initially stretching a hose line to the interior of the home, fire crews transitioned to a defensive attack of the blaze based on the severity of the fire and the integrity of the building being compromised, according to Stewart.

Hours later, after the fire had been knocked down and it was deemed safe for firefighters to enter the home, crews found a woman dead in what appeared to be an illegal attic apartment, Stewart said. The woman has not been identified.

The New Britain Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the blaze.

The American Red Cross is assisting the residents of the home, as the house is believed to be a total loss.