Cause of blaze that killed firefighter goes undetermined
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — The cause of a fire that killed a New Haven firefighter a year ago could not be determined but it does not appear a crime was involved, police said Thursday.
Ricardo Torres Jr., 30, died of asphyxia from the fire inside a two-story home on May 12, 2021. Fellow firefighters found him unresponsive on the second floor after he radioed that he was under duress.
On Thursday, the anniversary of the death, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker joined firefighters at a memorial ceremony at the station where Torres had been assigned.
The fire started in the basement of the home, but the cause remains unknown because of the extent of the damage and a lack of evidence, state police said in a report on their investigation.
Another firefighter who was rescued from the building suffered injuries that required a lengthy recovery, authorities said