Worker charged in connection to borough fire

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Firefighters from the borough and Waterbury battle a fire Dec. 7 on the roof of Building 8 of Southwood Apartments on Rubber Avenue in Naugatuck. –RA ARCHIVE

NAUGATUCK — A Waterbury man surrendered to police Tuesday after officers concluded he did not have a license when he used a blow torch to remove tile flooring and a toilet in a Southwood Apartments building, causing a fire that displaced occupants of three apartments.

Angel Lopez-Sanchez, 43, of 22 West Farms St., worked for the superintendent of the apartment complex but did not have any type of occupational trade license or plumbing license, according to police.

The fire began Dec. 7 in Building 8 of the complex at 933 Rubber Ave., while residents of two affected units, including five children, were home. No one was injured, but both families and another woman had to move to different apartments.

Police charged Sanchez with performing trade without a license, reckless endangerment in the second degree and risk of injury to a child. He was released on a $10,000 bond to appear Jan. 23 at Waterbury Superior Court.