The house that caught fire Monday night in Weare is among a list of properties the town is considering to seize for unpaid taxes.
The three-apartment home is operated by Lanestown Real Estate Investment, owned by Brandon Brooks of New Boston, who owed the town nearly $43,000 in back taxes.
Town officials are unsure how the fire will play into its plans to act on the home for delinquent payments. Weare Town Administrator Naomi Bolton would not comment on the situation until she meets with town counsel.
The select board decided at its July 6 meeting that if any of the property owners being considered for deeding did not pay by July 11, the board would consider taking action at its next meeting on Monday.
The state fire marshal’s office has ruled out arson, and occupants of the room where the fire originated told firefighters it started when an air conditioning unit fell from a bedroom window. Building inspector Chip Meany deemed the home uninhabitable after inspecting it Tuesday morning.
Weare firefighters responded to the call Monday night shortly before 8:22 p.m. to the house near the corner of North Stark Highway and Route 77.
Two adults lived in one unit and one adult with two children lived in another. All have been displaced as a result of the fire. The third unit was vacant.
Flames were seen billowing out of two front windows on the second floor when firefighters arrived. No occupants or first responders were injured.
(Nick Stoico can be reached at 369-3309, nstoico@cmonitor.com or on Twitter
@NickStoico.)