Paris moves to raze house that has burned twice

The Paris Town Board Tuesday approved seeking a raze order for a house in the 19400 block of 38th Street that has seen two fires this year.

The house was damaged on Feb. 18 when a fire leveled a barn on the property. Two men were charged with arson in connection with that fire.

On April 29, Paris Fire and Rescue personnel and other fire departments responded again to the same address for a fire in the house. This time, the house was heavily damaged.

Paris Fire Chief Roland Iwen noted at the meeting that the owner of the property lives in Arkansas.

Town Chairman Virgil Gentz said the property can’t be left as it is.

“Something has to be done,” Gentz said.

Town attorney Timothy Pruitt said the raze order will give the owner 30 days to respond. The owners can take down the structure or the town can do it and then charge the cost back to the property, ultimately likely by putting it on the tax bill.

The order can be challenged in Circuit Court, Pruitt said.

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