Building Commissioner Ernest Hagler thinks the fee charged by a local firm to tear down a burning North Harbor building last week was too high.

"We don't mind paying anybody," Hagler told the Board of Public Safety on Wednesday morning, "But we aren't going to get misused."Hagler balked at the $47,775 bill from TRI Inc., of East Chicago, for the emergency demolition of a two-story structure at 3607 N. Main St. last Thursday. The building was on fire and collapsing onto neighboring buildings, with reports of two people still inside.

No victims were ultimately reported from the blaze, the cause of which is officially undetermined due to investigators' inability to dig beneath the rubble of the structure, though inspectors said Wednesday there are no suspicions of arson.

Using information about the building obtained from the Lake County assessor's Internet site, Hagler said the structure, owned by LES Properties LLC, of Lowell, was 3,500 square feet, not the 9,000 square feet claimed on the TRI invoice.

However, the 37-foot by 121-foot structure, times two stories, equals 8,954 square feet, close to the TRI estimate.

"We'll pay what we owe, but no more," Hagler told the Board of Public Works Wednesday afternoon. "We're not going to pay anything until this is resolved."

A statement released late Wednesday by TRI maintains the original request from Hagler to demolish a one-story building was in error, and the firm sought a revision of the work order on the day the work was performed.

"We're proud to say the building was demolished in a surgical and skillful way, with no damage to either adjacent building," said the TRI statement.

TRI officials said they had not been made aware of any disagreement with the price of the job from the city's building department.

City Controller Charles Pecurar, president of the works board, said that approving work without first obtaining a purchase order can lead to problems, which is why, except in cases of extreme emergencies, city officials are urged to obtain purchase orders before calling for services.

"Unless the building is actually falling on people, take the time to get the purchase order first," Pecurar said.

Payment of the TRI claim was taken under advisement by the Board of Public Works, which referred the matter to the city's legal department for evaluation.