So, you have an old beat up house on some rural property. It’s an eyesore, it’s in the way. What to do, what to do? How about just torching it? Easy fix, right? Anderson County Rural Fire Coordinator, Cruz Gillespie, says he had confronted a rural property owner about a dilapidated house that had mysteriously caught on fire and burned to the ground recently. Even though it’s on your property, Gillespie says there are strict regulations enforced by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment against simply torching a structure yourself.
Issues with asbestos insulation, asphalt shingles and other materials that when burned can create toxic fumes, and if buried can pollute not just the soil but also water runoff. Tearing it down leads to more problems, as it could cost several thousand dollars to have it demolished. So, most just let them sit there, sometimes for decades, becoming an eyesore. County Commissioners are sympathetic, but in the end acknowledge that the laws are the laws. Commissioner Tony Mersman saying it was a ‘no win’ situation. Gillespie says he planned to discuss the issue with KDHE and he expected a citation to be issued in the incident.
