WATERBURY, CT (WFSB) -
A Waterbury landlord was convicted of manslaughter Friday after police said he caused the death of one of his tenants.
On Friday, Narinesammy Ramsammy was sentenced to eight years in prison. He must serve 2.5 years and then will be given probation for three years.
According to court documents, Ramsammy illegally turned his two-family house into a four-unit apartment building. When he did that he installed faulty wiring that caused a fire and led to a tenant being trapped in the attic.
In March, the home on Fox Street caught on fire and Pedro Claudio, 32, was unable to get out of the building. Fire officials found his body near the only exit to the home, the front door.
Ramsammy was arrested because police said he was only allowed to have two apartments in the structure, not four. He also did not have any building or electrical permits for the work that was done on the building, police said.
"We will not tolerate illegal housing here in the city of Waterbury," said Waterbury Fire Chief David Martin.
Martin said there were no working smoke detectors in the building and only one way in and out of the structure, which is illegal.
However, the verdict, which is sending a message to landlords throughout Connecticut, has brought little comfort to Claudio's mother. She told Eyewitness News that she hopes this never happens to anyone else.
"I mean you couldn't ask for a better landlord (Ramsammy)," said tenant Diane LaRusso, who moved in after the fire. "He has done everything for us."
Waterbury officials said there is only so much the city can do when it comes to inspections and urging people to be diligent. If you see there are too many people living in one building, you are urged to call the police.
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