Flames shoot through the roof of an Orange Street apartment building in the early-morning hours of July 21. Courtesy photo/Nashua Fire Rescue

NASHUA – The two-alarm fire that tore through 19 Orange St. in the early-morning hours of July 21 may have been a fire suicide, according to state Attorney General John Formella’s Office.

The fire resulted in the deaths of Scott Thomas, 66, and Gerald Gutekunst, 80.

In 2019, Gutekunst, who was living in Hudson at the time, was charged with arson and threatening violence. The charges were ultimately dismissed as Gutekunst was “not competent to stand trial and not restorable to competency.”

According to Nashua Fire Rescue, firefighters responded to the Orange Street blaze at 3:26 a.m. and found flames shooting from the roof of the two-story apartment building.

Firefighters attacked the blaze on ladders using two hose lines. Several other hoses were deployed on the ground. The intense flames also caused the roof to give way and prompted commanders to evacuate their firefighters.

Gutekunst was found deceased inside the residence while Thomas was later pronounced dead at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center. The number of residents that were displaced remains unclear.

Although the cause remains under investigation, it is believed that the fire may have started in the second floor attic.