mug shot – Michael D. Sammon

WILTON — A Wilton man faces a felony arson charge following the investigation of a fire in the office of a Route 2 convenience store.

Michael D. Sammon, 39, an employee of the Big Apple, was arrested Tuesday by Ed Hastings, an investigator for the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The fire caused minimal damage to the office but some products within the store were tossed out due to smoke damage and everything had to be checked and wiped down, he said.

The estimated damage is about $20,000, he added.

“With convenience store fires, product safety of food items for purchase have to be checked and wiped down or thrown out,” he said.

Investigators determined the fire started in the office where some items were being stored in boxes and found it was set intentionally, according to Hastings’ report filed with the court.

Sammon was the only employee working at the time and the only one with access to the office, he said. The fire appeared to have happened sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning but Wilton Fire Department and Wilton police were not called until 7 a.m. Tuesday, Hastings said.

Sammon told investigators that he heard a popping noise coming from the office, opened the door and saw small flames. He used the fire extinguisher and said he called the store manager. Sammon claimed the manager responded that he would deal with it in the morning, according to Hastings report. The manager said he didn’t receive a call.

About 30 minutes later, Sammon told investigators that he noticed smoke again, and again used the extinguisher but did not call the fire department or police. He told investigators he thought it might have been an electrical fire or caused by an explosion in a box of lighters stored in the office.

Fire marshal investigators were called to help determine the cause and “ruled out all natural or accidental reasons” for the fire, Hastings reported. As Sammon was the only person with access to the office, has a past history of an incident of lighting matches and throwing them into the trash can in a police station and mental health issues, Hastings arrested him on a charge of arson, according to court records.

Sammon was released Wednesday on personal recognizance with conditions that he undergo counseling/treatment and have no use or possession of accelerants including but not limited to gas and lighter fluid. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 23.

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