One killed, nine injured by blast during standoff

NORTH HAVEN, Conn. — A Connecticut woman’s call to police to report domestic violence led to a standoff and an explosion in a barn behind her home that left one person dead and nine officers injured, officials said Thursday.

The officers were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries after the Wednesday night blast and the remains of one unidentified person were found in a building at the home in North Haven, State Police Trooper Kelly Grant said at a news conference.

Grant said she couldn’t confirm the identity of the body until an autopsy was completed. The woman was not at the home when police arrived Wednesday night, but Grant declined to release her condition, saying it was part of the investigation.

The owners of the property, Deborah and John Sayre, were going through a divorce, according to court records.

Deborah Sayre filed for divorce April 18. She did not immediately return a phone message Thursday.

North Haven Deputy Police Chief Jonathan Mulhern said a woman called police to report domestic violence and police tried for hours to coax the man outside.

All nine officers remained hospitalized Thursday.

Firefighters on Thursday continued to battle the barn fire, which also damaged other structures and vehicles.

Residents near the home said on the police department’s Facebook page that they heard the explosion and felt their own homes shake. Additional police rushed to the scene as the fire raged, and sounds of smaller explosions also were heard.

North Haven resident Joan Mazurek, 76, heard what she thought was a train at her home about a mile away from the scene when the explosion occurred.