Volunteer fire departments throughout Jones County had their hands full Wednesday, battling separate blazes in Ellisville and several brush fires. The long day began around 2:30 a.m. when flames destroyed a former rehabilitation center on Augusta Road in Ellisville. The building, owned by a north Mississippi resident, had been in the renovation process for several months.
Dan McKenna, Jones County fire coordinator, said the cause of the fire was still under investigation as of press time. “On arrival of the first apparatus, the front of the building was fully involved,” he said. “The fire quickly spread from the front of the u-shaped building into the two wings. Union (Volunteer Fire Department) was the host department with Moselle, Johnson and Ovett responding for help. We requested three additional tankers from Glade, Southwest and Macedonia in Forrest County. We were finally able to contain it around 11 a.m.”
McKenna said the department is still trying to get in touch with the owner of the building, who apparently lives out of the region.
The fire caused a disruption in power for neighbors who had to flee for their own safety. Brittany Simmons, who lives with her fiancé and young son, said smoke coming from the structure was so bad that her family couldn’t breathe.
“We put everybody in the truck and went out by the road,” she said. “You could hear explosions and the flames were twice as high as our trailer. My father, William, actually got a water hose to put the fire out coming up the bluff. There are ashes all the way up to our front door.”
Simmons said a close relative who stayed the night at their house was the first to report the fire. “He had made a pallet in the living room floor,” she said. “When the air conditioner kicked off, he knew something wasn’t right. I’m just glad no one got hurt.”
Ricky Amacker, a neighbor who helps look after the property, said he believes the fire was set. “The owner was afraid of people stealing things, but I bet he never believed anything like this would happen,” Amacker said. “There were fire trucks coming from all over.”
Other incidents Wednesday included a car fire in Ellisville and at least two brush fires. One such fire affected approximately 20 acres on McDonald Drive off Holifield Road, and required the assistance of the Mississippi Forestry Commission and local units from M&M;, Glade, Ruston and Sandersville. Soon after, fire departments from Johnson and Ovett as well as forestry officials responded to a two-acre brush fire off Ira G. Odum Road in Ellisville. McKenna said four firefighters were treated with heat injuries after the 20-acre blaze.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Photo/David Owens
County fire departments battle flames all day
Structure fire; woods and brush blazes occupy VFDs
- Local News
-
-
Get ready for control burns in the area
Area motorists and residents may notice a lot of smoke coming from some of the county’s heavily wooded areas in the coming weeks.
-
Officials pleased with Chancellor’s appointment
At 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Lance Chancellor became the new executive director of the Jones County Emergency Management Agency.
-
Heidelberg has a new police chief
A longtime Jasper Countian has been named the head law enforcement official in this Jasper County town.
Huey Powe is now the Police Chief for the Town of Heidelberg. -
Annual Rotary Club Spaghetti dinner Saturday
The Laurel Rotary Club will conduct its annual Spaghetti dinner this weekend at the YWCO.
-
American Red Cross looking for local volunteers
The East Central Mississippi Chapter of the American Red Cross is looking for a few good men, women, boys and girls to join its team of disaster volunteers.
-
Officials put a name with scammer
Jones County officials have now released the name of a man they are seeking in connection with a recent fire scam in the area.
-
Family barely escapes mobile home fire
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, a family of five was awaken by the smell of smoke quickly filling their 28 x 70 doublewide mobile home located at 39 Ellisville Junction Road in Jones County.
-
Farewell and Hello
Well-wishers from near and far gathered in Laurel to say farewell to longtime Jones County Emergency Management Executive Director Don McKinnon, while his replacement — a familiar face among emergency officials — was welcomed earlier in the day Tuesday.
-
Cobb’s bond set at $250K
A $250,000 cash bond has been set for a 19-year-old Jones County man jailed at the Jones County Adult Detention Center in connection with a vicious attack on a woman in the Sharon Community.
-
Laurel man has given over 33 gallons of blood
Local residents gave blood Tuesday at Laurel City Hall as a part of the City of Laurel’s blood drive.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Killer of Fla. Girl Found in Landfill Gets Life
Army Orders Bradley Manning Court-martial
Cancer Charity Revives Breast-screening Grants
Heavy Snowstorm Hits Colorado On Its Way East
2nd Teacher From LA School Arrested on Sex Claim
Prosecutors Close Armstrong Inquiry, No Charges
Sights and Sounds: Football Fans Pour Into Indy
Unemployment Rate Down to 8.3%
Obama: Still Far Too Many Americans Need Jobs
GOP: Jobs Numbers Welcome, Can Do Better
Fla. Man Adopts Girlfriend in Legal Battle
More Deaths As Egypt Clashes Continue
Raw Video: Prince William in Falklands
Egpyt Protesters Blame Police for Soccer Deaths
'Lucky' 9-Year-Old Receives 6-Organ Transplant
Raw Video: Michelle Vs. Ellen in Pushup Contest
First Person: Will Peyton Manning Stay in Indy?
Egypt Shaken After Deadly Soccer Riot
New Suits, New Starts for New York's Unemployed
Hall of Famer Dorsett Speaks Out on NFL Injuries
