Reports: Shelton Man, 77, Accused of Hosing Down Fire Officials

A Shelton man had a forceful way of telling two city fire officials they were all wet Tuesday when they told him to douse some flames, according to reports.

When the Shelton fire marshal and assistant fire chief received complaints of open fire at a house on Beardsley Road, they went there and told Mark Lilly, 77, that he needed to put the fire out, according to the New Haven Register, which cited Shelton police.

Lilly became verbally abusive and refused to douse the flames, according to the Register article and an Associated Press report. He did have his hose running, but he used it on the fire officials rather than on the fire.

After they got wet, they called in police, who charged Lilly with open burning and second-degree breach of peace, according to NBC Connecticut. He is scheduled to appear July 1 in state Superior Court in Derby.

Editor's note: All statements of fact in this article are police accusations, none proven in a court, as reported by other publications.