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Plea Talks Break Down in Case of Landlord in Portland Fire

PORTLAND, Maine - Negotiators say talks have broken down in a potential plea deal for the owner of a Portland building where six people died in a fire.

The Portland Press Herald says Cumberland County District Attorney Stephanie Anderson plans to pursue charges against Gregory Nisbet stemming from the Nov. 1 fire on Noyes Street. Anderson isn't saying what the charges could be or when it could happen.

Investigators found the cause of the Noyes Street fire to be accidental. They also found the house didn't have functioning smoke detectors. Nisbet is accused of offering individual rooms for rent at the house without making required safety upgrades.

Anderson has been pushing for a manslaughter charge but Nisbet's attorney says his client won't agree to that.