CLEVELAND — White County Public Safety personnel answered numerous calls over the weekend, including three structure fire calls.
About 1:30 p.m. Sunday, firefighters from White County Stations 4 and 5 and Cleveland Fire Department responded to a reported residential fire on Aardvark Trail in southern White County, said White County Public Safety spokeswoman Ana Newberry.
Upon the arrival of the first units, the fire was out but the damage had been done. According to Newberry, a decorative fireplace was placed on the rear wooden deck and had burned too hot, breaking through the deck and then the underpinning of the mobile home. Firefighters sprayed the area with water to douse any hotspots. A thermal imaging camera was used to determine if there were any extensions, but none were found.
All the occupants were out of the residence and no injuries were reported.
Newberry reminded the public that no item that will contain fire shall be placed directly on a fuel source, such as wood. Had the decorative fireplace been on some concrete blocks or other flame-resistant surface, Sunday's fire might not have occurred.
The second residential fire was reported around 5 p.m. Sunday on Dandy Lane in Helen. White County firefighters responded automatic aid with Helen Fire Department to that one, Newberry said.
Upon the arrival of the first units, the abandoned home was about 25 percent involved by fire at the rear of the structure.
Since the fire was at an abandoned home, White County Fire Investigator Robert Wilkins was called.
Following an initial probe, Wilkins deemed the fire was the result of arson and the case currently remains under investigation, Newberry said.
A third structure fire call was received about 1:15 a.m. Monday at Unicoi State Park Lodge near Helen.
Upon arrival, firefighters found the cause of the alarm to be a malfunctioning light ballast, Newberry said.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/6/410777/arson-fire-at-helen-home-among-white-county-weekend-fire-calls