Arrest Made in Autumn Way House Fire

A 17-year-old was arrested Wednesday and charged with third-degree arson in connection with a house fire on Feb. 28 at 4 Autumn Way in which a teen-ager was rescued from the home’s basement.

The teen who was charged was not identified by police because of the age.

The arrest, which followed an investigation by Ledyard Police and the Ledyard Fire Marshal’s Office, came just hours before two town police officers and four volunteer firefighters received commendations for their part in rescuing the boy.

Ledyard Police Officers Sgt. Michael Ravenelle and Bobby Kempke were cited for arriving first on the scene and alerting firefighters to the trapped victim. Volunteer firefighters Chris Rutola and Tim Gonzales, from Ledyard Center, and Brett Egan and Jeffrey Post, from Gales Ferry, comprised a four-man search and rescue team that entered the home’s basement and pulled the 17-year-old victim to safety.

The commendations were presented by Mayor Fred B. Allyn Jr. on behalf of a grateful town. Allyn said a high degree of training and professionalism demonstrated under dangerous conditions enabled rescuers to locate the boy and remove him to safety. “Without a doubt,” he said, “(they) saved the trapped victim from serious injury or death.”

The Feb. 28 fire, which appeared to have originated in the basement, was called in at around 4:30 p.m. The victim was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Fire companies that responded included  Ledyard, Mystic, Old Mystic, Gales Ferry, Center Groton, Poquetanuck, Mohegan Tribal, and the Sub Base FAST team. American, Ledyard and Mystic River ambulance units also responded.