RUMFORD – Selectmen will reconvene a hearing Oct. 2 on a Prospect Avenue apartment building to determine whether it is dangerous or a nuisance according to state law.

In the meantime, fire Chief Gary Wentzell will inspect the building and file a report with selectmen.

The hearing began Thursday night with landlord Brian O’Keefe of Chelsmford, Mass., who was asked to submit a plan to correct fire and safety violations in his three-apartment building and return to the hearing Oct. 2.

Code Enforcement Officer Rick Kent testified there are no building permits or hard-wired smoke detectors, and there is an illegal exit at the back of the building. A stairway at the rear of the building is 2 inches narrower than allowed, stairways are missing railings and a third-floor apartment has no visible means of exit other than a railing onto a roof. He said O’Keefe did not respond to numerous letters seeking a plan to correct violations at 14 Prospect Ave.

Kent said he met with O’Keefe, who told him he didn’t have the money to correct the problems because he’d been laid off from his job.

After Kent’s testimony, O’Keefe said he shouldn’t be held responsible for problems the previous landlord failed to fix in 2005 before he bought the building.

“I really want to work this out with you guys,” he said. “A lot of the problems have been fixed and there’s a smoke detector in the basement now.”

He said he was shocked to learn his building had so many violations and had attempted to correct them by trying to hire area contractors recommended by Kent. However, none would do the work after quoting him prices, he said, causing him to believe he was being blackballed.

O’Keefe also accused town officials of being “very unprofessional,” then broke down emotionally when recalling a tenant’s phone call telling him the town was going to raze the building.

“This has been the worst experience of my life. I worked for two law firms in Boston, and I can’t believe I’m being treated like this,” he said.

Contacted Friday, Town Manager Len Greaney said he would convene a meeting next month between selectmen and owners of Rumford apartment buildings to resolve similar issues.

“It will show that we’re trying to work with them, not against them; but we’re going to be firm, not stupid,” Greaney said.