CLAREMONT — The fire last week that destroyed a vacant building at 40 Main St. was human-caused, but the point of origin and whether it was intentionally set are impossible to determine because of the amount of destruction, Claremont Fire Chief Bryan Burr said Tuesday.
“Because there was no power to the building, the only cause is human factor,” Burr said. “But the exact cause and point of origin, there is just too much destruction to be certain.”
Burr said two sides and part of the roof were completely destroyed, and the investigation by the city and state fire marshal’s office indicates the fire probably started in the back of the building. He said the city is aware of people being in the building, but whether the fire started accidentally or was intentionally set is unknown and probably never will be.
The fire was reported around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday and when the first crews arrived, the building was fully involved. The fire was declared under control in about 45 minutes. The 2½-story wood frame building was built in 1880 and has been vacant for several years. A detached garage on the property was also destroyed.
Burr said the state is continuing its investigation and will review footage from nearby surveillance cameras to see if anyone may have been on the property around the time of the fire.
