UConn Officials Still Investigating Landscaping Building Blaze

STORRS, CT — A Monday night fire was so close to the iconic UConn Dairy Bar that it almost melted the ice cream and school, police and fire officials are still examining the rubble to see just how the Landscaping Building caught fire.

That was the word from a University of Connecticut official on Thursday.

A picture from the Dairy Bar steps shows just how close it was and the social media rumor mill had the creamery in fire until UConn officials stepped in to dispel the rumor.

There was some oil in the building, because it was essentially a landscaping storage facility. The barn was built in 1922.

Here is what is known so far:

• At 10:56 p.m. Monday, the UConn 911 center received two phone reports of a fire at the Landscape Barn, located at 3638 Horsebarn Hill Road Extension, UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said.
• One caller was reporting a fire, the other was reporting smoke, she said.
• Upon arrival, UConn police and fire department units found the structure on fire and immediately started a second alarm to bring mutual aid resources. Support was provide by Willimantic, Willington, Coventry, Mansfield, and Tolland fire departments, Reitz said.
• Due to extent of the fire and a downed power line, firefighters took a defensive posture and went at it from all four sides and began protecting the nearby buildings, Reitz said. Crews from Connecticut Natural Gas, Eversource, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and multiple UConn offices and departments were also called in.
• At about 2 a.m., the main body of fire had been extinguished but firefighters had to contend with "a long period" of fighting smaller fires, Reitz said. At about 4 a.m., the fire was declared under control, with mutual aid units released and UConn fire units still extinguishing hot spots.
• The building was destroyed, along with the landscaping equipment, tools, and office space inside, Reitz said.
• No injuries were reported.

Investigators from the UConn Police Department, UConn Fire Department, and State Police are conducting a coordinated investigation for cause and origin, Reitz said.
Photo Credit: UConn