Former Hamden Man Charged with Burning Down House

A former Hamden resident is charged with setting the fire to his former home in June that injured one it its residents.

Jamie Roldan, 26, of 37 County Street, New Haven appeared in Meriden Superior Court today to be arraigned on charged of first-degree arson and first-degree criminal mischief, according to Hamden Police spokesman Capt. Ronald Smith. He is being held on a court ordered $500,000 bond, Smith said.

On June 7 at about 1 p.m. Hamden Police and Fire departments responded to a three-family home at 75 Beacon St. on the report of a structure fire, Smith said. 

Investigators found that the fire was set in the front stairwell near the second-floor apartment, Smith said. Both the first and third-floor residents were able to get out without being injured before the house became engulfed in flames, Smith said, but a first-floor resident was treated for smoke inhalation.

The Hamden Fire Marshal’s Office conducted an investigation and determined that the fire was arson, he said.

"Detective Sean Dolan of the Hamden Police Department Detective Division conducted a further investigation. It was determined that former second floor resident, Jamie Roldan, was engaged in a dispute with other second floor residents," Smith said. "Roldan subsequently moved out of the residence weeks earlier.

"Further investigation revealed that Roldan allegedly returned to 75 Beacon St. and allegedly attempted to ignite the residence," he said.

On Aug. 30, Hamden Police Det. Raymond Quinn and members of the U.S. Marshal Service Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Roldan, who was attempting to flee from his County Street residence, Smith said.

A Hamden firefighter suffered a minor burn in the fire, he said.