Mold-infested Pepperell home catches fire

[Guest guest]

Mold-infested Pepperell home catches fire

By ROBERT MILLS, Sun Staff

Article Last Updated: 01/18/2007 12:06:00 PM EST

Lowell, MA

http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_5037901

PEPPERELL -- Firefighters are investigating what sparked a blaze

last night that destroyed a vacant Pepperell home that gained

notoriety when its former owner had to move out and take a huge

financial loss due to mold inside.

even lobbied the U.S. Congress after she had to discard

all of her family's clothes, got sick, and let the bank have the

home at 20 ee Road back for $1 due to mold that had infested

it.

That home was left a total loss by a one-alarm fire that broke out

last night about 6:35 p.m.

still has a pending lawsuit against 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 is in Middlesex

Superior Court.

Her family paid $227,900 for the home and lived there for 13 months

before moving out in December 2003.

A decontamination chamber was set up in the lawn that winter as the

family threw out their contaminated clothes and donned new ones as

they moved out.

The bank later reclaimed the home via a quick-claim deed as the

family lost everything and took a huge hit on their credit.

went on to become a leading mold-awareness activist,

testifying at public hearings about the need for mold legislation,

and even lobbying the U.S. Congress on behalf of legislation to set

up the nation's first federal mold guidelines.

and her family now live in an apartment nearby, and when her

husband, Rick , smelled smoke last night, went to

see what was happening.

" So I jumped in the car and went down there and said, 'oh my God

it's my house,' " said. " It's bittersweet. I was crying as I

watched it burn. We had so many hopes for that house, we really

did. "

It was not immediately clear who owns the home now, but a Fire

Department dispatcher said it was vacant.

Fire Chief Bozicas was not available for comment, and

authorized a dispatcher to say only that the cause of the blaze was

under investigation.

No one was injured while fighting the flames.

[Guest guest]

I had forgotten to add that this is one of our members.

Sharon C

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

wrote:

>

> Mold-infested Pepperell home catches fire

> By ROBERT MILLS, Sun Staff

> Article Last Updated: 01/18/2007 12:06:00 PM EST

> Lowell, MA

> http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_5037901

>

>

> PEPPERELL -- Firefighters are investigating what sparked a blaze

> last night that destroyed a vacant Pepperell home that gained

> notoriety when its former owner had to move out and take a huge

> financial loss due to mold inside.

>

> even lobbied the U.S. Congress after she had to

discard

> all of her family's clothes, got sick, and let the bank have the

> home at 20 ee Road back for $1 due to mold that had infested

> it.

>

> That home was left a total loss by a one-alarm fire that broke out

> last night about 6:35 p.m.

>

> still has a pending lawsuit against 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 is in Middlesex

> Superior Court.

>

> Her family paid $227,900 for the home and lived there for 13

months

> before moving out in December 2003.

>

> A decontamination chamber was set up in the lawn that winter as

the

> family threw out their contaminated clothes and donned new ones as

> they moved out.

>

> The bank later reclaimed the home via a quick-claim deed as the

> family lost everything and took a huge hit on their credit.

> went on to become a leading mold-awareness activist,

> testifying at public hearings about the need for mold legislation,

> and even lobbying the U.S. Congress on behalf of legislation to

set

> up the nation's first federal mold guidelines.

>

> and her family now live in an apartment nearby, and when her

> husband, Rick , smelled smoke last night, went to

> see what was happening.

>

> " So I jumped in the car and went down there and said, 'oh my God

> it's my house,' " said. " It's bittersweet. I was crying as I

> watched it burn. We had so many hopes for that house, we really

> did. "

>

> It was not immediately clear who owns the home now, but a Fire

> Department dispatcher said it was vacant.

>

> Fire Chief Bozicas was not available for comment, and

> authorized a dispatcher to say only that the cause of the blaze

was

> under investigation.

>

> No one was injured while fighting the flames.

>