NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — New Britain police are investigating after at least three service stations were targeted in lighting gas pumps on fire in the overnight hours. One of these incidents has been caught on camera and police have made an arrest in connection to at least two of those fires.
“That’s insane. I’ve never seen anything like that at all,” remarked New Britain resident Jonathan Cavarnos after seeing the video.
It happened at the City Gas Service Station on South Main Street in New Britain earlier this month. Surveillance cameras captured a suspect at 3:45 a.m. lighting a gas pump on fire. That fire burned for nearly a half hour.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with him. I will say he should come and talk with me,” remarked City Gas owner Kanwal Singh.
Singh said the only reason there wasn’t an explosion was because he turns off the tanks at night so there’s no gas flowing through the lines. But, the fire melted the internals of the pump causing about $20,000 in damage.
As a struggling small business owner, he says it’s a big financial hit. “Every day it’s harder. New taxes. New fees and all the insurance is up,” said Singh.
In addition to City Gas, pump fire incidents were reported at the Gulf Station on Stanley Street and the Irving Station on New Britain Ave. In all three instances, the fires were put out before anything combusted.
Police analyzed DNA evidence to connect the suspect to at least two of the three fires. Nicholas Slobodzian, 32, was arrested and charged with arson, breach of peace, criminal mischief and interfering, police said.
The investigative report shows police used a K-9 dog to track and locate a suspect who matched the description. In his backpack, they found, “a bottle of lighter fluid” and “several pieces of paper products.”
“People are getting crazy. Seriously. Why do that?” asked Gypsy Rivera, a New Britain resident. “There’s a lot of people getting gas here. Mothers, fathers, kids. You never know.”
“We are here to work hard and live peacefully,” added Singh.
Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at mcaron@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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