Vacant Home Unexpectedly Torn Down Without Demolition Permit Four Days Before Foreclosure Sale; Owner Faces $5K Fine

In Monsey, New York, The Journal News reports:

• A heap of wooden shards and the scarred trunks of cedar trees were all that remained of a house at 1 Carlton Road. Two residents of the neighborhood called The Journal News on Monday, concerned that the house had been knocked down at dusk on Sunday without a permit and before natural gas service was terminated.

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• While no utilities were still being delivered to the house,(1) it was indeed torn down without a demolition permit, the town of Ramapo confirmed after a reporter's call about the incident and the residents' concerns. The demolition occurred four days before the property was to be auctioned after a mortgage default.

For more, see Ramapo house demolished before Thursday auction.

For story updates, see:

• Sale of wrecked Monsey house postponed,
• House demolition a mystery to resident.

(1) According to the story, it appeared that the house had not been occupied for some time. Water service was terminated in 2007, followed by gas and electrical terminations in April 2008, according to the utility companies. Court documents indicated that $588,955.97 was owed on the property.