A local contractor who worked with the television show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" to help build a needy Voluntown family a brand new home confessed to police that he had attempted to burn down his Norwich wood pellet business on two separate occasions, according to a warrant in the case.

Bruce "Bruno" Hayn, 54, of 31 Sashel Lane, Colchester, was charged with first-degree arson, criminal attempt to commit first-degree arson, insurance fraud and second-degree giving a false statement.

Hayn is the vice chairman of the Board of Finance in Colchester.

On Oct. 27, five local fire departments responded to a blaze at Shur Fire on West Main Street in Norwich. The fire caused extensive damage to the building and its contents.

At the fire scene, police said, Hayn told investigators that on the night of the fire, he was alone at the business when he closed up for the evening. He said he was operating a forklift and placed a pallet of wood pellets in front of a short wall with electrical panels. He said the building had previous "electrical issues such as popping breakers but he had no idea what may have started the fire."

The fire initially was ruled accidental, the result of an electrical abnormality in an electrical box where Hayn was operating the forklift. However, video surveillance obtained by Hayn's insurance company, the Travelers, found that Hayn allegedly attempted to light fires on the day before and the night of the fire, the warrant said. The insurance company also found that the electrical box thought to have contributed to the fire was not electrically charged and therefore could not have been a factor.

According to the warrant, Hayn could be seen on the Oct. 26 surveillance video twisting paper towels and walking toward the area where the fire eventually was set. Later, smoke and particulate matter became visible on the video, the warrant said.

The next day, Hayn, alone in the business, is captured on video again with paper towels, walking towards the place of origin. He is seen leaving and returning to the business twice. On the second trip, Hayn is seen operating a forklift and the fire intensifies, the warrant said.

When police interviewed Hayn again on Jan. 4, he said that on Oct. 26, he was operating a forklift when he accidentally backed into an electrical panel. He said he heard a crackle and saw smoke coming from the panel. A while later, he said, he grabbed paper towels and placed them in the electrical panel to see whether the "panel was hot." The panel caught fire, he said, and he added more paper towels to the panel, the warrant said.

But Hayn told police he had a change of heart, "stomped out" the burning paper towels and left the building for the evening.

The next day, the night of the fire, Hayn said, he walked over to the electrical panel and lit the paper towels on fire "thinking it would be considered an electrical fire." He then got into the forklift and drove a pallet of wood pellets closer to the fire, but when he moved the pallet, the fire "petered out."

Hayn said he then added more paper towels to the fire, the warrant said.

"Hayn stated he thought the fire 'would have just caused a little bit of damage and be enough to make me shut down,' " the warrant said. "He stated after the fire, 'I have wanted to move forward.' "

Hayn said his losses as a result of the fire were $600,000. He collected $25,000 from the Travelers after filing claims.

Hayn was released on a $100,000 bond. He will be arraigned Jan. 26 at Norwich Superior Court.

According to records in the Norwich building department, Hayn had begun extensive renovations in the building, including electrical and plumbing work, installing gas lines and moving walls without obtaining required permits.

Norwich building official Greg Arpin said city inspectors were surprised by the move, because Hayn had been highly respected for his construction work. After a stop-work order was issued Feb. 16, 2011, Hayn obtained proper permits to continue the work.

Inspectors approved some of the renovations, but Hayn never called for the final certificate of occupancy inspection and opened the business without it.

Hayn, president of Home Designs by Bruno, led thousands of volunteers in building the Girard family a new home in 2008. The family had lost husband and father Thomas Girard and eldest son Marc in a drowning accident at Green Falls Pond in Voluntown.

Hayn also helped the Landa family rebuild their Griswold home when it was destroyed by fire in the summer of 2009. Kyle Landa was injured in the fire while saving his quadriplegic father from the burning home.

In 2009, Hayn was presented the Distinguished Service Award by the Builders Association of Eastern Connecticut, as well as the Toastmasters International Communication and Leadership award.

Colchester First Selectman Gregg Schuster said in a statement that he was "shocked and saddened" after hearing of Hayn's arrest.

"Bruce has made numerous contributions to this community over the last twenty years and is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty," Schuster said. "I'm sure Mr. Hayn will be considering if he should continue serving on the Board of Finance. I hope he will make a decision that is in the best interest of the community."

Day Staff Writers Claire Bessette and Sasha Goldstein contributed to this report.

i.larraneta@theday.com