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Person Of Interest Nabbed In Bridgeport Apartment Explosion

A convicted felon from Fairfield County has been arrested as a person of interest in connection with an explosion at an apartment complex that sent residents scrambling for safety.

The apartment complex. 

The apartment complex. 

Photo Credit: Pixabay via Diego Parra/Google Maps street view

Nelson Diaz of Bridgeport was charged with disorderly conduct on Thursday, June 13, for the earlier explosion at a North Avenue apartment complex, according to Capt. Kevin Gilleran of the Bridgeport Police.

According to Gilleran, the explosion occurred in Bridgeport at around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 13, outside a third-floor apartment unit at 1512 North Ave.

Following the evacuation of the building, the department’s Forensic Identification Unit, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, collected several items of evidentiary value at the North Avenue scene, Gilleran said.

That evidence has been processed by BPD Detectives and will be forwarded to the lab for testing.

"The preliminary investigation suggests this is an isolated event," Gilleran said. "There is no viable reason to believe this occurrence was associated with terrorism."

Diaz was reported to be roaming the hallways of 1512 North Avenue the evening prior to the incident on Wednesday, June 12. He was again observed roaming the hallways in the early morning hours of June 13, Gilleran said.

Gilleran said Diaz was last seen exiting the front door of 1512 North Avenue and walking briskly toward his car seconds after the explosion. 

 Diaz's vehicle was parked facing northbound on Lexington Avenue. Police conducted a motor vehicle stop on nearby Oak Street and took him into custody.

He is being held on a $25,000 bond. 

This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates. 

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