Fire Marshal Asks for Help to Find Cause of Suspicious Fire

Montville Fire Marshal Raymond Occhialini is asking for help investigating a suspicious fire that destroyed an unoccupied house at 291 Oxoboxo Cross Road in the wee hours of Monday morning.

The fire was called in at 2:06 a.m. on October 24, and Oakdale, Montville, Chesterfield, and Mohegan departments, along with area tankers, responded to the scene. The house was not occupied at the time of the fire and the building had had no electricity since April. That, Occhialini says, suggests this fire did not happen by accident.

The house was part of the old Camp Oxoboxo, a 66-acre spread that includes vacation cottages and a once-impressive dance hall, all of which were originally constructed in the 1930s as a summer holiday camp that was operated by Albert Pilvelis Sr. for about three decades.

Today, much of that property is in disrepair, Occhialini says, although the main residence with its hardwood floors and impressive fireplace was once considered one of the most desirable homes in Montville.

Although the primary residence had not been occupied since 1985, the property still belongs to the Pilvelis family. The house that burned virtually to the ground early Monday morning had been in probate since the death of Dr. Albert A. Pilvelis Jr. This well-remembered dentist, known as “Dr. P.,” had a practice in Norwich for more than 30 years.

When Dr. Pilvelis died in April of this year, his widow Karen and brother Robert inherited the property. Most of the land, which is valued at more than a million dollars, is listed as forest in town records, Occhialini says. The fact that the main house was not insured, however, leads Occhialini to conclude that the family had “no gain, no motive,” to burn it to the ground.

Although no one had lived in the house for many years, it was far from empty. Occhialini puts it politely when he says Dr. Pilvelis had a habit of saving things. Indeed, the house was fairly packed with items that had accumulated over a number of years, making it a target for people searching for buried treasure.    

Even though the house was unoccupied for a long time, the family often left a light or a radio on to create the illusion that someone was home, Occhialini says. That practice ended when the electricity was turned off in April and in recent weeks police had responded to a number of reports of break-ins at the property. Typically, thieves walked off with items that they could carry easily and which are easily sold, such as sheet metal, copper wire, or tools.

“There has long been a problem on the property with vandalism,” says Occhialini. “Within the past two weeks, there have been complaints of someone stealing from the property.”

The fire marshal says there was no indication that accelerants were used to start the blaze. However, any evidence to suggest what may have caused the fire has been burned away. Occhialini is hoping that a member of the public might have information that could help him in his investigation and he has posted fliers announcing a $2,500 reward for any tips leading to an arson arrest.  

The Arson Tip Hotline number is 1-800-842-7766, or Text a Tip to the Connecticut State Police Tip Line "TIP711". You can also contact the Montville Police at (860) 848-7510 or Montville Fire Marshal's Office at (860) 848-1175. All calls are confidential.