Officials with the Jones Co. Fire Department Monday blamed fireworks for a number of blazes that kept them busy over the July 4th weekend.
Dan McKenna, Jones Co. fire coordinator, said fireworks likely caused at least five brush fires, including one that destroyed an unoccupied home on Billbrew Road in the Powers community. “Primarily, all of the fires that we had were because of problems with fireworks,” he said.
Lance Chancellor, assistant fire chief of the Powers Volunteer Fire Department, acknowledged that area residents heard fireworks in the vicinity of the home that burned and later discovered the home and nearby woods on fire. “The home was fully involved in fire with flames through the roof upon arrival of firefighters,” he said. “In addition, live power lines were down and required a crew from Mississippi Power Company to respond to cut off power to the home.”
Chancellor said firefighters were able to prevent the fast moving woods fire from spreading to nearby homes and vehicles. “There were no injuries reported to any emergency responders despite the intense heat from the burning home and woods, as well as the high temperature and humidity as a result of the recent heatwave,” he added.
Volunteer units from Powers, M&M;, Glade and Sandersville — along with McKenna and Northeast Jones Fire District Chief John Bounds — battled the blazes for over two hours with two fire engines, four tankers and two brush trucks.
McKenna said crews also battled a large brush fire in Hebron, which quickly spread due to heavy timber covering the area. “All departments from District One responded along with the Forestry Commission,” he said. “That one really had a lot of wind behind it, and covered a lot of acres.”
Other fireworks-related blazes occurred on the Indian reservation in Sandersville, in Southwest Jones County and another in Powers early Sunday.
McKenna said a small fire also broke out in an abandoned house in Ovett, but was quickly put out. The cause for that incident is still being investigated.
Jones County has been operating under a burn ban since Wednesday. Despite the dry conditions, McKenna noted that none of the weekend fires could be attributed to open burning. “I really appreciate the restraint of the people in the county,” he said.
Local News
Related Photos
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Photo/Submitted (Lance Chancellor/Powers Fire & Rescue)
Fireworks blamed for weekend flames
One unoccupied mobile home destroyed
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