City plans to board up burned, abandoned nursing home

May 04--ASHTABULA -- Ashtabula firefighters plan to board up the former Park Haven Nursing Home after someone intentionally set a fire that left gaping holes more than two months ago.

The fire was reported at 9:15 p.m.Feb. 24 and it took four hours for firefighters to extinguish it. The fire charred and smoke damaged much of the building, 4533 Park Ave., according to the Fire Department's report.

No one was injured.

Although firefighters believe it was arson, the fire remains under investigation, said Lt. Stephen Chase of the Ashtabula Fire Department'sFire Prevention Bureau.

"We are still looking for who is responsible," he said.

The building was vacant at the time of the fire, but firefighters believe homeless people might have been living inside. Chase said he hasn't been inside the building since the fire, but he's unaware of any homeless people in there now.

City Manager Jim Timonere said city firefighters will be assisting the city in boarding up the structure.

"Of course it will

be our funds expended to take care of a

private property because of an absentee owner," he said. "I realize people point the finger at the city and blame us, but it is frustrating that we have to expend much needed funds on someone else's issue."

The property has gone up for auction many time since

closing in 2012, in hopes someone would buy the tax-foreclosed property, a former

50-bed nursing home. Park Haven is one of the city's oldest structures and was a stop on the Underground Railroad.

"(Since the fire) I don't see any hope for the building," Timonere said. "Although

many people want to see it saved they certainly didn't show up at the auction to buy it nor has anyone presented a plan to renovate it."

Park Haven will most likely be demolished at the city's expense, he said.

Chase said the fire department is in the process of claiming the escrow funds as forfeited. The funds will be used to perform the board-up.

That is not a usual step for the department, but the owner is very absent, Timonere said.

The board-up should be completed within the next few weeks.

Anyone with information about the fire should call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 440-992-7191.

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