Four firms declare bankruptcy

Four businesses – all of them in the construction industry — declared bankruptcy at the beginning this year.

The largest company — J.W. Darrah Construction of Bow — filed for Chapter 7 protection on Jan. 6, claiming $1.87 million in debt to more than 100 creditors, mostly other local construction firms. The company, which went out of business last fall, and lost much of its equipment through foreclosure and facing several lawsuits.

Darrah also was the target of complaints from residents in the Wagon Wheel Mobile Home Park in Londonderry who claimed that Darrah failed to bury pipes below freezing lines, as reported last summer in the New Hampshire Union Leader. Darrah reportedly refused to comment on the complaints.

The company grossed more than $5 million in 2003, according to the filing. Figures for 2004 were not disclosed, but it did some $2.9 million in business in 2005. The owner, James Darrah of Manchester, claimed to that he paid himself $4,000 during 2005.

Darrah also filed personal bankruptcy, claiming more than $2.1 million in debt, much of it the same as his business debt.

Calls to Darrah and his attorney were not returned by deadline.

The other filings were Murphy’s Iron and Crane Service Corp. of Hudson, which filed Chapter 7 on Jan. 4, claiming $15,734 in debt; Cascade Construction of Danville filed for Chapter 7 on Jan. 11 with an unspecified amount of debt (ranging from $100,000 and $500,000) and Wren’s Nest Construction of Manchester filed for Chapter 13, also on Jan. 11, claiming about $165,000 in debt. – BOB SANDERS