Movie Director’s Connecticut Mansion Damaged by Fire

A weekend fire damaged a Connecticut mansion owned by movie and television director Michael Karbelnikoff.

The director of the 1991 movie “Mobsters” starring Christian Slater owns a $2 million, 20-room mansion in Norfolk that caught fire Saturday night.

Fire Chief Daryl Byrne says 18 people were at the home at the time but were not injured. He says they rented the mansion for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Investigators say the fire began when hot ashes from a fireplace dropped down a chimney cleanout and ignited furniture and other items in the basement. The fire spread to a second-floor kitchen and third-floor bedroom.

Karbelnikoff, who was not there at the time, told the Republican-American of Waterbury that the fire was a “major bummer” and he planned repairs.