Vinton County Fire Departments Fight Wave of Weekend Fires

The McArthur Fire Department battled two large brush fires over the weekend. The department responded to the Siverly Creek and Locust Grove area brush fire during the early evening hours of March 27. Several adolescent boys were attempting to roast marshmallows in a wooded hillside area near the intersection of Locust Grove and Siverly Creek. According to one of the young teen boys, a lighter which was being used to start the fire accidently fell into the flames. The fire spread quickly, and the boys ran from the woods to get help. One of the boys attempted to extinguish the fire with his t-shirt, but was the flames spread too quickly to contain. While attempting to run down the hillside, the boy fell and injured his ankle. The Vinton County EMS responded to the scene to transport the boy, who was carried through the woods by firefighters to the ambulance.

A second brush fire occurred March 28 on Dunkle Creek Road, near Creola. The McArthur Fire Department, and Forestry Service responded to the large fire. Firefighters fought the blaze for several hours before the scene was cleared.

A structure fire on Henderson Road occurred at approximately 2 p.m. March 22. McArthur Firefighters were fighting a brush fire on Dunkle Creek Road near Creola when the emergency call was received by the Vinton County Sheriff's Dispatcher. Immense clouds of smoke were visible in McArthur from the growing fire near Allensville. Both the Hamden and Dundas Fire Departments offered mutual aid at the scene. The 590005 319 G Henderson Road home had been unoccupied for several months.

The homeowner is deceased, and the property in the hands of the Vinton County Probate Court. Live electric wires outside the home, and inside the multiple building dwelling were live, which make fighting the fire an extreme safety hazard for the volunteer firefighters. AEP was alerted, and responded to the scene approximately two hours after the fire began. The firefighters made multiple trips to refill engines with additional water needed to keep the fire from spreading. No cause is yet known for this structure fire.