Arson investigators say an 80-year-old man is responsible for starting a fire in Nashua early Tuesday morning that killed himself and another tenant.
Gerald Gutekunst was found dead in an upstairs apartment at 19 Orange St.
Investigators say fire patterns show he set the blaze intentionally with the intent to harm himself.
The fire spread beyond his apartment to the rest of the building. Scott Thomas, 66, also died in the fire. The other seven residents were able to escape.
Autopsies confirmed the men died from smoke inhalation. Investigators determined Gutekunst’s death was suicide, and that his actions killed Thomas.
In 2019, Gutekunst was accused of setting a fire in a Hudson apartment building, but was found incompetent to stand trial.
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If you or someone you know might be in crisis, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling 9-8-8.
