Chief: Fire at mold house may be accidental

[Guest guest]

Chief: Fire at mold house may be accidental

By LISA REDMOND, Sun Staff

Article Last Updated: 01/19/2007 11:35:24 AM EST

http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_5045117

PEPPERELL -- The state fire marshal's office has joined the

investigation into a fire Wednesday night that destroyed a Pepperell

home that made headlines for its mold contamination, but a local

fire official said the blaze does not appear suspicious.

" It doesn't look intentional, " Pepperell Fire Chief Bozicas

said yesterday.

It appears someone was using a blow torch to do some work on pipes

inside the vacant house, and wood may have been ignited, Bozicas

said. Whether the work was legal and with permits is unclear.

Bozicas said it's standard procedure to ask the fire marshal's

office to investigate. The home was not inhabited and had no

electricity or gas that might have sparked the fire.

and her husband, Rick, moved from the house at 20

ee Road in 2003 because the mold infestation made them sick.

They took a huge loss on the house, for which they paid $227,900,

when they let the bank have it back for $1.

The house, which is a total loss due to the fire, is currently owned

by Inner City Development of 114 University Ave., Lowell, Bozicas

said. The house is assessed at $97,000, and the land is valued at

more than $100,000, he said.

, who now lives in an apartment with her husband near their

former home, said she saw the flames coming from the vacant house

about 6:35 p.m. The fire gutted the home.

She said she cried as she watched the house burn.

Although she no longer has a financial connection to the home, her

fear was that someone would come in, do some cosmetic changes and

then try to resell it without dealing with the mold issue.

" In some ways, it's a godsend that it burned, " she said. " A least

now I'm not worried about another family living there. "

is suing Louise Knight and RE/MAX Colonial of Groton, whom she

says should have known about the mold before selling her the home in

2002. That case was recently transferred from Middlesex Superior

Court to Northeast Division of Housing Court in Lawrence.

Although a housing-court judge ruled against her, said she

will appeal to the state Appeals Court.

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[Guest guest]

3 words- back pocket people

burning is cheaper than tearing down, and tearing down might make it

look like it indeed is toxic and unlivable. exspecially if you can't

insure it because it's public knowledge that it's toxic. what's left

but accidential burning.

--- In , " tigerpaw2c " <tigerpaw2c@...>

wrote:

>

> Chief: Fire at mold house may be accidental

> By LISA REDMOND, Sun Staff

> Article Last Updated: 01/19/2007 11:35:24 AM EST

>

> http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_5045117

>

>

> PEPPERELL -- The state fire marshal's office has joined the

> investigation into a fire Wednesday night that destroyed a

Pepperell

> home that made headlines for its mold contamination, but a local

> fire official said the blaze does not appear suspicious.

>

> " It doesn't look intentional, " Pepperell Fire Chief Bozicas

> said yesterday.

>

> It appears someone was using a blow torch to do some work on pipes

> inside the vacant house, and wood may have been ignited, Bozicas

> said. Whether the work was legal and with permits is unclear.

>

> Bozicas said it's standard procedure to ask the fire marshal's

> office to investigate. The home was not inhabited and had no

> electricity or gas that might have sparked the fire.

>

> and her husband, Rick, moved from the house at 20

> ee Road in 2003 because the mold infestation made them sick.

> They took a huge loss on the house, for which they paid $227,900,

> when they let the bank have it back for $1.

>

> The house, which is a total loss due to the fire, is currently

owned

> by Inner City Development of 114 University Ave., Lowell, Bozicas

> said. The house is assessed at $97,000, and the land is valued at

> more than $100,000, he said.

> , who now lives in an apartment with her husband near their

> former home, said she saw the flames coming from the vacant house

> about 6:35 p.m. The fire gutted the home.

>

> She said she cried as she watched the house burn.

>

> Although she no longer has a financial connection to the home, her

> fear was that someone would come in, do some cosmetic changes and

> then try to resell it without dealing with the mold issue.

>

> " In some ways, it's a godsend that it burned, " she said. " A least

> now I'm not worried about another family living there. "

>

> is suing Louise Knight and RE/MAX Colonial of Groton, whom

she

> says should have known about the mold before selling her the home

in

> 2002. That case was recently transferred from Middlesex Superior

> Court to Northeast Division of Housing Court in Lawrence.

>

> Although a housing-court judge ruled against her, said she

> will appeal to the state Appeals Court.

>

>

>

> Tell us what you think on this story.

>

> Comments | Trackback

>