by Heather Graf
MCKINNON, Tenn. - The State Fire Marshal's office is now investigating a fire that destroyed a fire station in Houston County.
It happened just after 11 p.m. on Monday, at the firehouse on Mathis Lane. Neighbors who called 911 at first couldn't believe what they were seeing.
"After I got out on the front porch I called again, because it was just fully engulfed, through the roof," said Brenda Redd. "I mean, that's just ironic."
Fire Chief David Hardin admits he, too, was caught off guard by the initial call.
"The phone call was rather shocking, to get a call from central communications that one of our fire stations is on fire, and you know you have two pieces of equipment in it," he said.
The two trucks were destroyed. One was a tanker that holds about 2,000 gallons of water. He said the county bought it just last year. The other truck has been a part of the Houston County Fire Department for almost 40 years.
"So we lost a piece of history here, from 1972," he said. "It was devastating, but you realize that you're going to have to continue on."
It's a task made more difficult by the fact that investigators think the fire may have been intentionally set.
The State Fire Marshal's Office is looking into the possibility that the firehouse blaze is connected to a string of suspicious fire that have happened in Houston County over the past week.
"I just think it's really bad someone would burn down the fire department, and I hope they catch them," said Redd.
The fire chief agrees, and asks anyone with information to call the State Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017.
"I think the whole community would be angry, not just me. Because everyone's been hurt," Hardin said.
He said they will rebuild the station, but in the meantime, wants residents in that area to know they still have fire protection. Hardin said the Tennessee Ridge Fire Department will respond to all calls from that neighborhood until further notice.
Email: hgraf@newschannel5.com
