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The incident took place in Trumbull around 8:30 a.m., Sunday, March 26 at the Royce of Trumbull, on Avalon Gates Road.
The vehicle, driven by a 31-year-old Hartford County woman from New Britain, struck the gas lines of the building causing the fire to ignite and burn a section of the building, said Lt. Brian Weir of the Trumbull Police.
Arriving Trumbull Police officers found a portion of the building engulfed in flames. Officers were able to evacuate the residents from the first and second floors, but when they advanced to the upper levels there was too much smoke for them to continue, Weir said.
The Trumbull Center Fire Department arrived on the scene and determined that there were no occupants in any involved apartments, and they extinguished the fire.
Witnesses reported that they heard a crash and went outside to see what was hit when they smelled gas, then ran back inside to call the police when they heard a small explosion, Weir said.
Officers learned that a silver vehicle had struck the building but had left the area with damage to its front bumper. A short time later, the striking vehicle returned to the scene and the driver explained that she had mistaken the accelerator for the brake pedal, causing her vehicle to drive forward into the building, Weir added.
Weir said an investigation revealed that the fire affected four apartments, but two of them were vacant. The other two apartments suffered damage causing the occupants to be displaced from their homes. The apartment building sustained significant damage, however, no injuries were reported.
The driver, and her passenger, provided full cooperation with the police. Based on the information obtained and the conditions surrounding the accident during the preliminary investigation, no charges have been filed.
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