Connecticut
Historic church in New London a total loss, demolition to begin Friday
Crews spent Thursday night sifting through rubble at a church in New London where the roof of the building collapsed hours earlier and began preparing for its anticipated demolition, as city officials say the historic structure is a total loss.
“We suffered a very serious setback here in downtown New London with the loss of one of the oldest and certainly one of the most gorgeous religious structures in the city,” New London Mayor Michael Passero said during a news conference Thursday evening. “The city was extremely fortunate in the manner of the collapse. It could have been a much bigger disaster for us, however, we did lose a cherished historic structure.”
Numerous emergency crews responded to 66 Union St. around 1:30 p.m. after the steeple of Engaging Heaven Church — which shares space with First Congregational Church — and the roof came down during a structural collapse, causing a thunderous roar and massive damage to the more than 200-year-old historic structure, according to Capt. Matthew Galante of the New London Police Department.
According to property records, the church was built in 1810 and had an office building added in 1975.
“Obviously nothing will be able to replace the hole now in our skyline by the loss of this building, but the city is resilient,” Passero said.
One woman was in the rear of the building at the time of the collapse and did not report any injuries, Galante said in a statement. Crews spent the evening hours Thursday rummaging through the rubble to confirm no one else was trapped.
Numerous police and fire departments and other agencies responded to provide mutual aid. This included the Urban Search and Rescue, Connecticut State Police K-9 Search Team, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Emergency Response Unit and Connecticut Task Force 1.
The collapse closed several surrounding streets Thursday, including portions of State, Union and Masonic Streets. Nearby, Connecticut College students in the Manwaring Apartments building had to be evacuated and were informed they would not be able to return for a few days. They were relocated to a nearby hotel and received assistance from the American Red Cross.
Demolition was expected to begin Friday morning and start with the remaining two steeples, which were not considered safe in the wake of the collapse. What caused the collapse remains under investigation by the New London Fire Marshal with the assistance of the Office of the State Fire Marshal as well as state and local building officials, according to Passero.
“It will be some time before that determination is made,” the mayor said.
According to Passero, the building undergoes fire inspections but “there isn’t any routine building inspections.”
“We have not had time to determine if there was any recent inspection to the building structurally,” Passero said Thursday, adding that there was no indication by the congregation or the city that “there was anything wrong with this building.”
Anyone with information has been encouraged to contact the New London Fire Marshal’s Office at 860-447-5294 or the New London Police Department Detective Division at 860-447-1481. Anonymous information can be sent via text message to Tip411 (847411).
Marked by a ceremonial ribbon cutting and attended by Governor Ned Lamont, state legislators, Waterbury officials, and community leaders, UConn Health celebrated the acquisition of Waterbury Hospital which as of today is now the UConn Health Waterbury Hospital.
“This is a defining moment for healthcare in Connecticut,” said Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health Community Network. “We now have the opportunity to take the award -winning academic quality and service of UConn Health and share it with the wonderful employees, doctors and community of Waterbury.”
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont described the initiative as a forward-looking investment in the future of healthcare access across Connecticut.
“Connecticut is leading with innovation,” said Connecticut Governor Lamont. “The UConn Health Community Network reflects a proactive approach to strengthening community-based care by connecting it directly to the capabilities of our state’s public academic medical center. What begins in Waterbury today, represents a new model designed to expand opportunity, access, and excellence for communities statewide.”
In addition to UConn Health Waterbury Hospital, the Network includes UConn Health Community Network Medical Group and UConn Health Waterbury Health at Home. The model preserves each member’s local identity and will grow thoughtfully over time to improve quality, expand access, and reduce the total cost of care.
“This reflects a bold step forward in how we think about healthcare in Connecticut,” said John Driscoll, Chair of the UConn Health Board of Directors. “Today we celebrate the beginning of a new approach to community-based care. We move forward with clarity of purpose and shared commitment to serve our communities better together.”
Comptroller Sean Scanlon highlighted the significance of the model for the long-term evolution of healthcare delivery in Connecticut.
“This partnership represents thoughtful leadership at a pivotal time for healthcare,” said Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon. “By aligning community hospitals with academic medicine, Connecticut is building a modern framework that positions our healthcare system to meet the needs of patients today and into the future.”
“Hosting this celebration on our campus is deeply meaningful for our staff, physicians and the families we serve,” said Deborah Weymouth, President of UConn Health Waterbury Hospital. “Waterbury’s legacy of care continues, and we are tremendously proud to have a strong partner who is deeply committed to our community and help lead this next chapter for healthcare.”
Welcome UConn Health Waterbury Hospital!
A multi-vehicle crash temporarily close Interstate 84 on Tuesday night.
The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. and involved four cars, according to the Hartford Fire Department.
Fire crews arrived at the scene and helped one of the drivers who was trapped. The driver was then taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment.
Four other people reported minor injuries but declined ambulance treatment at the scene, officials said.
I-84 East was temporarily shut down as crews responded but has since reopened.
The Connecticut State Police is investigating the crash.
As the snow turns to sleet and freezing rain in parts of the state this afternoon, it is causing some treacherous travel on Connecticut roads.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is reporting several crashes.
There are crashes on both sides of Interstate 691 in Meriden.
A tractor-trailer jackknifed on the eastbound side of I-691 between Exit 5 and 3, closing the left lane. On the westbound side, a single-vehicle crash closed the left lane.
There is a two-vehicle crash on I-91 North in Middletown between Exits 20 and 21. The left and center lanes are closed.
A multi-vehicle crash has closed lanes of I-84 East in Waterbury between Exits 25 and 25A. There is a second crash on I-84 East in Southington near Exit 30.
In Cromwell, a two-vehicle crash closed the right lane of Route 9 North in Cromwell.
On Route 9 South, a crash closed a lane on the southbound side.
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