An asbestos abatement crew cleans up the site at 89 Main St. in Liverpool on Wednesday. (Rick Conrad)

An abandoned property in downtown Liverpool destroyed by fire in the spring is finally being cleaned up.

The historic and unoccupied Hendry house at 89 Main St. was leveled in the May 13 blaze. 

The Liverpool Fire Department referred it to the RCMP for investigation. The RCMP declared it suspicious and asked the public to come forward with any information. 

An RCMP spokesman told QCCR in July that officers have closed the file for now, because there was insufficient evidence to keep the investigation open.

Fire services from around Queens County and RCMP officers responded to the fire at 4:40 a.m. on May 13. Nobody was injured.

On June 11, the Region of Queens declared the property dangerous and unsightly and ordered owner Rosemarie Jacob to clean it up, or the region would do it at her expense. Jacob didn’t appeal the order, so the region began the process to clean up the site.

Mayor Darlene Norman said Wednesday that initial testing found that there was asbestos in the siding of the house. 

The region hired Asbestos Abatement Limited in Dartmouth to do the work. Norman said the company expects to have everything cleaned up by the end of the week.

“They say they’ll be finished by Friday,” Norman said. “The material is being deposited at another facility in Nova Scotia that accepts this material.

“The company indicated that they would have both the asbestos-containing materials removed, other debris on the property removed and the building foundation removed. … It is being done so that’s the important thing.”

Norman said the company has assured municipal officials there is no danger to nearby residents from the asbestos on site.

The cost of the cleanup isn’t known yet. But the mayor said it would be added as a lien to the owner’s taxes this year. 

“(It) would be payable in 2025. And if at that time, the taxes are not paid in full, including the lien, then you would go to our policy regarding uncollected taxes. I believe one year of unpaid taxes and then the tax sale process would start.”

The property had been unoccupied for some time before the fire. And the owner had been difficult to reach, but Norman said the municipality was finally able to find her.

Norman said she’s happy to see the cleanup underway. And while she won’t be running for re-election, she said a future council may decide to try to do something with the property once it’s cleaned up.

“I know many people have been wanting that corner widened. There are some people who want it left historically the way it is. But there’s lots of vocies from people who work at Queens General (Hospital), from people trying to get 18-wheelers around that corner, there’s going to be a huge amount of housing development that’s going to require vehicles going that way, but that will be future decisions by a future council. But at this time, our main goal is to have that corner cleaned up so people can be free of the black tarps and the fencing and the things that are there at this point in time.”

Norman added that because the cleanup cost will be applied to the property owner’s taxes, the region likely won’t release the figure because of privacy concerns.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

The house at 89 Main St. in Liverpool before fire destroyed it on May 13. RCMP say the fire was suspicious. (Top photo: Google Streetview; bottom photo: Rick Conrad)

Queens District RCMP are asking for the public’s help in investigating a ‘suspicious’ fire at 89 Main St. in Liverpool in May.

“In this case, because the investigation is ongoing, I can’t provide additional comments without jeopardizing the integrity of the investigation,” RCMP spokesman Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay told QCCR on Wednesday.

“But I can tell you from the information gathered, it does indicate it is suspicious in nature. And we are looking for tips from the public to advance the investigation.”

Fire services from around Queens County and RCMP officers responded to the fire at 4:40 a.m. on May 13. The historic house, known as the Hendry House, was abandoned at the time. Nobody was injured.

The Liverpool Fire Department referred it to the RCMP for investigation.

The blaze destroyed the house, which local historian Tim MacDonald said was built around 1893 and was owned by former Liverpool mayor, ship owner and businessman A.W. Hendry.

Firefighters tore down the remaining structure. The Region of Queens erected a fence around the property.

And on Tuesday, regional councillors voted to declare the site dangerous and unsightly. They gave the property owner seven days to clean it up.

According to Nova Scotia property records, 89 Main St. is owned by Rosemarie Jacob. It’s one of 14 properties she owns in Liverpool, Brooklyn, Italy Cross, Lunenburg Co., and East Baccaro, Shelburne Co.

If Jacob does not appeal the municipal cleanup order by June 18, the municipality will do it and charge the cost to her as a lien on the property.

There are two mailing addresses listed for Jacob in property records. One is a post office box in Brooklyn. The other is a PO box in Liverpool.

Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman said Tuesday that Jacob is hard to find.

“Staff have used every avenue they have to contact the owner. However, unfortunately, that owner leaves very little contact information. We have simply been unable to contact the owner.”

RCMP are asking anyone with information about the fire to contact Queens District RCMP at 902-354-5721. If you want to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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This is all that’s left of the historic Hendry House at 89 Main St. in Liverpool after a fire in May. (Rick Conrad)

The owner of an abandoned house on Main Street in Liverpool that burned down in May has seven days to clean up the site.

If she doesn’t clean it up or appeal the order within seven days, the Region of Queens will do it for her and charge her for the cost of the cleanup.

Councillors voted on Tuesday to declare the property dangerous and unsightly and to clean it up.

According to Nova Scotia property records, 89 Main St. is owned by Rosemarie Jacob, who owns 13 other properties in Liverpool, Brooklyn, Italy Cross, Lunenburg Co., and East Baccaro, Shelburne Co.

Only two addresses are listed for Jacob in property records. One is a post office box in Brooklyn. The other is a PO box in Liverpool.

Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman said Tuesday the owner is hard to find.

“Staff have used every avenue they have to contact the owner. However, unfortunately, that owner leaves very little contact information. We have simply been unable to contact the owner.”

The house at 89 Main St. caught fire overnight on May 13. The Liverpool Fire Department eventually got it under control, but the structure had to be torn down.

It was unoccupied at the time of the fire. 

Since then, the municipality has fenced off the property. But none of the debris from the fire has been cleaned up. 

There’s still a slight acrid, charred smell around the property from the fire.

A screenshot from Google Streetview from 2014 of 89 Main St. in Liverpool.

According to local historian Tim MacDonald, the historic house was built in 1893 and was once owned by former Liverpool mayor, ship owner and businessman A.W. Hendry. 

Liverpool Fire Chief Trevor Munroe told QCCR on Tuesday that they’ve finished their initial investigation and passed it on to Queens District RCMP.

He said there was no power at the property, so it’s unclear how the fire started. That’s why the RCMP are investigating. 

“It could be suspicious, it could not be suspicious,” he said in an interview. “But it could be something as simple as a cigarette if someone was moving the grass or something like that.”

An RCMP spokesman said Tuesday the investigation is still ongoing.

Mike MacLeod, the director of planning and development for the region, told councillors on Tuesday that the municipality has received a number of complaints about cleaning up the site.

QCCR is trying to find the owner for comment. If we are able to reach her, we will update this story.

According to property records, Rosemarie Jacob bought the house in 2002 from Erwin Keller of A & I Keller Investments Limited.

Before that, it was owned by the McConnell family from 1973 to 1999.

Council voted on Tuesday to give Jacob seven days to clean it up. Unless she appeals the order by June 18, the municipality will do it and charge the cost as a lien against the property.

Norman says it’s an issue of public safety.

“In the absence of an owner, we are moving ahead with the motion made today. Seven days to file an appeal and if we do not hear from the owner by June 18, then we will be moving ahead and cleaning up the property.”

Another property owned by Jacob that appears to have been abandoned is on Court Street. That’s just off Main Street and behind the former Mersey Hotel, which is itself in bad shape but is currently occupied by various residential tenants.

Jacob also bought the Court Street house in 2002 from A & I Keller Investments.

Norman said she couldn’t comment on the Court Street property or any other Queens County properties owned by Jacob. 

“Our bylaw officer has many files that she is presently working on. I cannot comment on the one you’ve made, however, there are various properties that are going to be coming forward to council.”

If Jacob appeals the order, the municipality will schedule a public hearing.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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