Blaze on Lake Street

WINSTED — Town officials are investigating what caused a structure fire at the abandoned Union Pin Company building at the corner of Lake and East Lake streets in Winsted late Tuesday night.

The fire began sometime around 11 p.m., with Winsted, Winchester, Norfolk and Torringford fire departments responding to the call. Fire crews were on the scene until around 1 a.m.

Fire Marshal William Baldwin told The Winsted Journal Wednesday he and Town Building Official Marc Melanson were at the site until 4 a.m. Wednesday, working on their investigation into what could have started the blaze.

The property, formerly owned by the late Ernie Wolff, is now owned by Economic Development Commission Chairman John Morici, who said Wednesday that the building has been repeatedly invaded by youths and vagrants and that police have taken notice.

"They keep tearing the door down, and we keep nailing it back up," Morici said, adding that windows at the property have had to be repeatedly boarded up.

Morici said he hopes the property can be developed to include an inn on the lake with an upscale restaurant, which is similar to previous owner Wolff's vision of building a hotel at the site.