Bay State Banner owner's New Hampshire retreat goes up in flames

Fire destroyed the Plainfield, NH home owned by Bay State Banner publisher Mel Miller Sunday night and now fire officials are trying to figure out what caused the fire, the Valley News reports:

All that remained of the house on Monday afternoon was the stucco and stone foundation spanning the perimeter of the home and a massive chimney standing some 50 feet high.

Miller had used the house - where he is registered to vote - as collateral for a now infamous loan from the city to the Banner in 2009. In January, the Globe reported Miller had only ever made one payment on the loan and that the BRA was expecting him to sell the New Hampshire house to repay the loan.

The house was listed for sale, but Miller told the Valley News he was selling because he's gotten too old to spend much time there, not because he owes the BRA money.