ROYAL -- Three volunteer fire departments fought a fully involved house fire at 115 Cleo St. into the early morning hours Wednesday.
The cause of the fire, which destroyed the residence, was still under investigation, Piney Volunteer Fire Department Lt. Scott Miser said, noting he has received reports the structure did not have electricity for three months, and its sole resident was living off generators kept in the house.
Miser said the male resident was transported to an area hospital for unrelated causes prior to the fire's start. Miser said he plans to ask the resident if there was a heat source in his house that could be tied back to the incident.
"Until we get to talk to him a little further, we won't have anything to go on," Miser said.
Miser said Piney was called to respond at 10:25 p.m. Tuesday, and the fire "had started probably 15, 20 minutes before we got called." He said the wood-frame structure with a rock veneer was consumed by fire when firefighters arrived.
"It was through the roof throughout the entire house," he said. "It was really out of control."
Piney firefighters immediately pulled five hoses off two trucks and went to work. After making sure no one was in the residence, the initial objective was saving an adjoining shed with a guest suite above. Although the flames reached the shed, the firefighters were able to keep the fire from consuming it, as well.
"We pretty much stopped it in its tracks to where it was headed upon our arrival, but it was already completely 100 percent all the way throughout the house when we pulled on scene," Miser said.
Miser said they quickly realized they needed additional manpower and water, as the nearest fire hydrant was half a mile away from the scene. Piney called Mountain Pine Volunteer Fire Department for additional personnel and 70 West Volunteer Fire Department for water.
"By the time (70 West) got on scene, we started getting a good handle on it," Miser said.
LifeNet, Garland County sheriff's deputies and Entergy also responded. Miser said once the fire was out, the departments spent a few hours cleaning up the scene.
Miser called the structure a complete loss, with damages estimated "in the $100,000 neighborhood."
Local on 10/19/2017