New London ― The scope and severity of Wednesday’s fire at a New London apartment complex means it’ll be Monday at the earliest before fire officials can complete their preliminary investigation into the cause of a blaze that displaced dozens of tenants.

On Friday afternoon, representatives of the city’s fire and building departments, along with members of a private emergency clean-up company, gathered in front of The Villages at Shore Landing building to work out the next steps for the 48-unit section of the complex deemed condemned.

On the back face of the 239 Nautilus Drive building, two tarps resembling over-sized theater curtains were draped over several of the most severely damaged upper-story apartment decks and patios.

Fire Chief Vernon Skau said damage to those open-air sections is complicating the investigation.

“We need to first secure them and make them safe to allow investigators to go on to their next steps,” he said. “We’ll be meeting with the complex’s insurance company on Monday and could have an answer on a cause by the end of that day.”

Bill Pacelia, director of emergency management for the BluSky restoration company, said his team was slated to bring an elevated lift to the site later on Friday to aid fire investigators with their work.

Pacelia said he was notified late Wednesday by the building owner’s property management company, South Oxford Management, that his firm’s services were required.

“We did the tarping last night and at some point will deal with the environmental issues and restoration work,” he said. “For us, any job that involves displaced people is urgent.”

Firefighters arrived at the scene at approximately 9 p.m. on Wednesday to find three third-story units ablaze, with flames shooting through the roof and smoke billowing from the back of the building. The majority of the fire damage was contained to four units in the building, though other areas sustained smoke and water damage.

Skau said two of the building residents were treated at the scene for minor injuries, one of which appeared to be an existing medical condition. No firefighter injuries were reported. A family of three stayed at an emergency shelter opened at the city’s senior center Wednesday night.

Omi Morales, a member of the city’s Building Division, said Friday the structure will remain condemned until there’s a clear determination by fire, insurance inspectors and his department that it’s safe for residents to return.

“The owners or management company also has to provide us with documentation that it’s safe to rehab the damage,” Morales said. “It’s a process that can’t be done overnight. But right now, it’s not safe.”

Morales said tenants wishing to retrieve belongings must get permission from the management company before entering the building. The building’s owner is listed as New York-based Beachwold Residential, doing business locally as Villages At Shore Landing LLC.

j.penney@theday.com