Unoccupied Twin Lakes Drive house badly damaged in fire

Waterford — All of the town's fire departments responded to an early morning fire at 67 Twin Lakes Drive.

When firefighters arrived at the scene smoke was billowing from the structure, Cohanzie Fire Department Assistant Chief Lance Bernacki said.

Firefighters entered the split-level home from the back and did a search to make sure that no one was inside. Land records show that the home is owed by Paul and Demetra Anastasiou of Waterford. Paul Anastasiou is co-owner of Pizzarama Drive-In in New London.

Demetra said she had no idea what could have caused the fire. She said she went to the house this morning but was not allowed to go in because fire officials were still at the scene.

She said once renovations were completed they were planning to move in.

Once they determined that there were no occupants, firefighters quickly began to attack the fire.

Bernacki said there was fire in the basement. He said there was extensive heat and smoke damage throughout the house.

Firefighters had to cut a hole in the garage door, break down the front door, and break second-floor windows in order to extinguish the fire. Using the ladder truck, firefighters also cut holes in the roof to ventilate the building.

Firefighters inside the structure used hoses to douse hot spots and axes to ventilate it from the inside.

The house is vacant but had been undergoing renovations for the past two years, neighbors said.

"The whole top floor was just billowing with smoke," said PJ Sullivan, a neighbor. "There was always somebody in that house working on it."
Adrian Donohue, another neighbor, said he saw painters at the home Thursday.

The fire marshal was also at the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.