The town is stepping in to clean up a Sandwich Road property that officials have said is a threat to public safety.

The 118 Sandwich Road home was destroyed by a fire in January, 2011. Since then, the family of the property owner — who was injured in the fire — has been working to clean up the pile of rubble that remains.

Family members told the Board of Selectmen last December that they did not have the funds to get the equipment necessary to clean the site and the Selectmen gave them until January to remove any sentimental items from the debris.

The town will now clean up the property. It is unclear whether or how much the family will be charged for the clean-up.

Municipal Maintenance Director Mark Gifford told the Board of Selectmen on April 10 that the town is just waiting for permission to go onto the private property. Once that legal permission is obtained, the department will bring dumpsters to the property and remove the debris, he said.

The foundation of the home will also be filled, Gifford said.

Hazardous materials, such as tires and shingles made of asbestos, will be left on-site.

Selectman Ellen Begley expressed concern about leaving the hazardous materials, however.

"Who assures that hazardous materials are disposed of properly?" she asked, later saying that she wanted to be sure that the property owners would take care of it.

But Town Administrator Mark Andrews said that it was not a good idea for the town to get involved with environmental issues on the property, calling is a "slippery slope."