Wallingford, Connecticut, fire that killed 2 was ‘criminal in nature’: police

A Connecticut house fire Wednesday night in which two people were killed and another injured was “criminal in nature,” police said Thursday.

Firefighters responded to a multifamily home in Wallingford, about 70 miles north of Manhattan, around 6 p.m. Wednesday.

First responders encountered a man outside the home suffering from severe burns, according to Wallingford police. The man was airlifted to a local hospital and remained in critical condition on Thursday.

As smoke-eaters continued battling the blaze, several entered the residence and found two people in the second-floor apartment, police said. One person was pronounced dead on the scene, while another was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

None of the victims has been publicly identified, and authorities have not publicly speculated on what caused the fire.

An investigation conducted by numerous local agencies “indicates that the incident is criminal in nature,” Wallingford police said Thursday. No suspects were named.

Cops are also still trying to figure out how many people were inside the house when the fire started.

“At this time there are no further details that can be released,” police said. “As the investigation progresses we will continue to provide updates.”