BRUNSWICK, Maine (AP) — A Brunswick husband and wife have been evicted from their home of 40 years after the town condemned their apartment building because of a rotting wood porch.

Town officials say the porch is in such poor condition that it can't be used as one of the apartment building's two required exits, leaving the town no other option than to condemn the structure.

Joe and Jackie Toth as well as five other tenants have moved out.

Joe Toth tells the Times Record that he offered to pay for repairs himself, estimated at $15,000 to $25,000.

But Code Enforcement Officer Jeffrey Hutchinson says repairs cannot be made without express permission from the landlord. And that landlord, who has a business address in Washington state, is nowhere to be found.

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Information from: The Times Record, http://www.timesrecord.com