Fire Marshal Determines Cause Of Fatal Blaze At New London Home

NEW LONDON, CT — The fire marshal has determined that a faulty electrical connection was the cause of a blaze that led to the death of an elderly couple last week. The home also did not have functioning smoke alarms, the fire marshal said.

"The cause of the fire was identified as a high-resistance electrical connection at a first-floor electrical receptacle (outlet)," according to a statement from the fire marshal. "The electrical failure generated sufficient heat to ignite nearby combustible materials resulting in fire."

Investigators also found the home had no working smoke alarms on the first or second floor.

"Working smoke alarms provide critical early warning of a fire, significantly increasing the occupants' ability to escape safely," the fire marshal wrote.

The blaze at a Chapel Drive home on July 20 led to the deaths of Daniel E. Moalli, 90, and his wife, Glenna M. Moalli, 77.

Related: Community Mourns Loss Of Accomplished Doctor, Wife In New London Fire

The fire marshal provided the following fire safety reminders for residents:

• Install smoke alarms on every level of the home, inside every sleeping room and outside each sleeping area
• Test smoke alarms monthly and replace batteries as needed, or follow the manufacturer's recommendations for sealed, long-life battery units
• Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years old or older
• Have electrical issues like flickering lights, warm outlets or frequently tripped breakers evaluated promptly by a qualified electrician