Contractors demolish wrong house

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PITTSBURGH, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- A Pittsburgh man said his house was demolished by mistake when a city contractor took it down along with a neighboring home.

Andre Hall said the house, which the city agreed not to demolish for 6 months when he bought it in November, had been demolished with a backhoe when he arrived to work on the property Monday, WPIX-TV, Pittsburgh, reported Friday.

"I leave for the holidays, come back and see a backhoe sitting on my house," Hall said. "This is not the way I thought I would start off my new year."

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Building Inspection said the contractors were told to demolish a neighboring home and instead took down both houses.

Hall said he has a copy of the letter sent by city officials to contractors PJ Deller. He said the document bears the message, "Do not demolish" in large, bold letters.