Published: January 03, 2009 12:47 am         

Fire destroys family’s home New Year’s Eve

A New Year’s Eve afternoon fire destroyed a mobile home northwest of the Palestine city limits, with officials saying the blaze possibly started in the residence’s kitchen area.

Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor said his agency was dispatched to a residential fire located in the 500 block of CR 2210 at 3:50 p.m. Wednesday.

Upon the arrival of sheriff’s Sgt. Steven Whittmore, the structure was fully engulfed, according to the sheriff.

“It was a double-wide mobile home,” Taylor said. “It was totally engulfed in flames and nearly all the exterior was gone from the home.”

The estimated value of the mobile home was $10,000, while the home’s contents were valued at $15,000, according to the sheriff.

A 34-year-old woman, her boyfriend and the woman’s 6-year-old daughter lived at the residence, but no one was at home at the time of the blaze, Taylor said.

Members of the Montalba, Tucker and Tennessee Colony volunteer fire departments responded to the fire, according to the sheriff.

The woman had traveled into Palestine and was contacted by a neighbor that her residence was on fire, the sheriff added.

“They have no insurance,” Taylor said. “The (American) Red Cross was called and has given assistance to her.”

A 1994 Subaru sedan and a 1989 Chevrolet van, each valued at $1,000, were damaged as a result of the fire, according to the sheriff.

Taylor said reserve sheriff’s deputy Bill Yearout, a former city fire marshal, and sheriff’s Sgt. Jay Russell surveyed the scene Friday, but did not find anything suspicious in nature.

“It looks like it might have started in the kitchen area,” Taylor said. “The investigation does continue.”

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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com

     

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