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'It Was Just For Fun': Man Faces Arson Charge After Blaze At Southbury Training School

A 21-year-old man was charged with arson after a fire destroyed an unoccupied cottage in Connecticut last month.

Gregory Gulick

Gregory Gulick

Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police

Gregory Phillip Gulick, of Southbury, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 4, and charged with third-degree arson in connection to a blaze at the Southbury Training School, Connecticut State Police reported.

Police said more arrests are expected in the case.

Firefighters responded to the area of 24 Village Road in Southbury, located on the Southbury Training School property, at about 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, after receiving a report of smoke, according to the arrest warrant. 

Police said the cottages in this area are abandoned.

A single-story cottage and its surrounding brush were found to be on fire, according to the report.

Multiple agencies responded to extinguish the blaze, which ultimately destroyed the building, police said.

No injuries were reported.

Detectives determined that a person had intentionally lit the fire.

According to the arrest warrant, an individual who knew Gulick said Gulick admitted that he set the fire in a phone conversation. When asked why, Gulick allegedly said to the individual, "I dunno, it was just for fun."

He also allegedly admitted to a coworker and his supervisor that he burned a house down with friends over the weekend, police said. 

In an interview with police on Tuesday, Dec. 20, he admitted to starting the fire, State Police reported. 

Police reported that Gulick said he used a lighter and gasoline to start the fire.

Two other individuals also told police that they were with Gulick at the time of the fire, the report said. Their names were not released.

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