Nearly a month after finding a large amount of fireworks going off during a fire at a Shelton home, police have made an arrest in the case.
The investigation started when firefighters responded to the home on Bruce Drive on the evening of June 22 and found fire concentrated in the garage area of the residence.
While extinguishing the fire, firefighters found fireworks were going off, according to police.
A decision was then made that the fireworks would not be removed from the residence.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
So, the Shelton police department and Shelton fire marshal’s office obtained a court order to conduct a controlled burn of the residence, then firefighters intentionally set fire to the home to eliminate the risk the fireworks posed, officials said.
Some homes in the area were evacuated before this was done and a message was sent to residents to alert them about what was going to happen.
Local
On Thursday, police said they have charged 54-year-old Stephen Lupkas, of Shelton, with reckless endangerment and illegal possession of fireworks.
He was released on a promise to appear in Derby Superior Court on July 30.
