Jaffrey’s police and fire departments are partnering with state officials to investigate the cause of a fire that destroyed a portion of the former W.W. Cross building on Webster Street on Sunday night.
In a press release issued by the state on Tuesday, the New Hampshire Fire Marshal’s office requested information from the public to help the investigation into the “circumstances surrounding the origin and cause” of the fire.
Crews were on scene for hours on Sunday night, into the early morning hours of Monday, putting out the five-alarm blaze which required a constant rotation of water from tankers from more than 20 surrounding communities, and even more fire crews to put out the fire which destroyed about one-eighth of the 98,000-square-foot building.
Immediately following the fire, officials would not rule out the possibility that a person or persons set the fire, whether accidentally or maliciously.
Police Chief Todd Muilenberg and Fire Chief David Chamberlain would not confirm whether there is any evidence that the fire was suspicious or started by a person, directing any comments about the investigation to the Fire Marshal’s office.
“They are the lead on this investigation, and we are assisting them,” Muilenberg said.
Calls to the state Fire Marshal’s office were not returned by press time Wednesday.
The building has been vacant for a number of years, and has been subject to a number of trespassing complaints during that time, despite its entrances being boarded up, according to Muilenberg.
Muilenberg said the department receives complaints “frequently” about trespassers in the building, and has had reports in the past of people squatting in the building. Police have found bicycle tracks and other evidence that people may illegally use the property, vandalism, as well as evidence of people lighting fires in the property before, he said.
Anyone with information regarding the fire is encouraged to contact the Jaffrey police at (603) 532-7865, or by email at police@townofjaffrey.com, or through the Jaffrey Police Department Facebook page, or Investigator Matt Wilmot at (603) 223-4289 or the Arson Hotline at 800-400-3526.
Jaffrey Economic Development Director Jo Anne Carr said on Wednesday the business was once one of the town’s largest employers, and many people who worked there still reside in town.
“There’s a lot of local history and connection to the facility. It was a major employer in town, through the 1960s, and it really has a significant relevance to folks in town,” Carr said.
The building is currently vacant, but was most recently used as office space, and the town of Jaffrey has expressed interest in seeing the building used as one of the avenues for future downtown development, if it were refurbished.
The building was first home to W.W. Cross as a manufacturing facility for tacks that were used for materials such as carpets. The company was founded in 1869, in Brockton, Massachusetts. It was a fire that caused the company to move to the Jaffrey location. When the Brockton factory was destroyed by fire in 1866, the company was rebuilt in Jaffrey in 1873.
The factory was originally on what was once Old Peterborough Road, now known as Nutting Road. But again, disaster struck in the form of fire, and the building was destroyed in July of 1915. The plant was rebuilt, and later moved to its current location in the 1950s.
As of 2007, the property is owned by Larry K. and Steven Thibeault. Most recently, the Thibeaults attempted to operate a Solar Fitness gym in the building, while renting additional space as offices.
The property, with its proximity to downtown, has been eyed for various uses over the years, particularly as it became clear that renovating the building would be an expensive undertaking.
The site has been classified as a brownfield, meaning redevelopment of the property is complicated by the presence of possible pollutants or hazardous substances. Studies over the past several years have shown the building, soil and groundwater have been contaminated by a number of substances relating back to the time when it was a manufacturing facility.
The Environmental Protection Agency has programs to help communities clean up and redevelop brownfield sites, and that’s a process the W.W. Cross building was undergoing when Sunday’s fire struck.
Carr said that the W.W. Cross building and surrounding land has been undergoing a process over the past several years to determine potential contaminants in the building, soil and groundwater.
Jaffrey, in cooperation with the Thibeaults, have applied for funds through the Southwest Regional Planning Commission to study in-depth the extent of contamination, which are thought to be a byproduct of its manufacturing days and possibly also from when a train ran through the area.
A study by Ransom Consulting, released just last week, showed that testing had found cadmium, cyanide, heavy oil, and heating oil in the groundwater or soil.
Carr said the site has been of interest to the town from an economic development standpoint for a long time, but that because of the potential contaminants in the building and on the site, it was likely the building would have to be removed to properly develop the property, a potentially expensive undertaking.
“It’s been pretty clear to most people involved in the project that the building would have to come down eventually, and the hazardous materials remediated,” Carr said. “The town or any other developer would be reluctant to purchase the property until the total impacts of contaminants in the soil and groundwater were understood, which is what we have been working toward.”
Carr said because of those potential contaminants in the building, including lead and asbestos, there are additional concerns caused by the building burning.
Carr said the town is reaching out to the Thibeaults to discuss the need for the property to be properly fenced in, particularly with the damage from the fire leading to extra hazards.
The Select Board was scheduled to meet with representatives from Ransom Consultants on Thursday, June 25. The meeting was originally scheduled prior to Sunday’s fire to review the most recent report, but may now also need to cover potential impacts from the blaze, Carr said.
Though the property is closed during the fire investigation, Carr said, Ransom Consultants may be able to use the property layout and prior knowledge of the building and its materials to advise the town on any air quality issues that may arise from the burning of hazardous materials.
The Select Board’s scheduled meeting with Ransom Consultants on Thursday, June 25 will be at 10 a.m. via Zoom. The link to the meeting and sign in details are available at www.townofjaffrey.com.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.