BRANFORD — Officials shut down the Stony Creek Puppet House Theater for building code violations Friday, saying that building and fire code violations found in a surprise inspection pose a threat to patrons' safety.

Eighteen fire and 29 building code violations were discovered at the theater at 128 Thimble Island Road, including time-worn electrical wiring that must be replaced, officials said.

Deputy Fire Chief and Fire Marshal Shaun Heffernan and Chief of Police John DeCarlo said the inspection followed a recent police community meeting at which neighbors raised concerns about increased nightclub-style musical performances at the Puppet House.

The building's construction includes wood, and is filled with dozens of flammable puppets.

But Heffernan and Building Official Anthony Cinicola, on whose order the theater was closed, said they do not want to permanently shut down the Puppet House.

"We love the Puppet House —we want to emphasize that and we want it to stay," said Heffernan. "We want to work with Mr. Weil to make the Puppet House a safe place for the residents of Branford and the visitors of Branford to visit for a long time.

"What we don't want to have are the makings of something like the Station nightclub fire a few years ago," he said.

The Feb. 20, 2003 fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., killed 100 people. It was the fourth most deadly nightclub fire in U.S. history.

Owner Jim Weil admitted Friday evening that "there are some violations. There's some wiring that isn't up to code, which I don't consider to be dangerous," he said. "But it's true that it's not up to code."

Weil said he is most concerned about the order that he not go into his own building after dark.

The "shutting down" of the building only refers to public functions. Weil is allowed in during daylight hours.

Weil's mother, puppeteer Grace Weil, bought the building in 1960 and opened the Puppet House in 1963.

Before that it was a silent movie house, a destination for summer-stock actors, and a garment factory.

Grace Weil later brought a collection of handcrafted hardwood Sicilian marionettes, which stand 4 to 5 feet tall, weigh 60 to 80 pounds and are among 300 built by Italian craftsman Sebastiano Zappala at the turn of the 20th century.

In the last five years, the Puppet House has been a busy music venue.

Immediately canceled following Friday's findings was a performance by Sirens & Alarms, a Branford band scheduled to record a CD at the theater tonight, Gullans said.

Heffernan said "a significant amount of work" must be completed and DeCarlo estimated the Puppet House has about $50,000 in electrical code violations that must be addressed.

"We're just asking him to maintain the building" in safe condition, said Cinicola.

"Our goal is to get him back open as the Puppet House and have him remain there for people to enjoy," he said. "We want to maintain and preserve the history for Branford, but our goal is public safety," he said.

"The town of Branford does not want a situation where young people are put in danger in a fashion similar to the Station nightclub fire ... where 100 young people's lives were lost due to unsafe conditions," said DeCarlo.

Mark Zaretsky can be reached at mzaretsky@nhregister.com or 789-5722.