Cherokee TV

Southwestern Cherokee House Destroyed During Monday Storm

CTV STAFF
Tuesday, September 09, 2008

 

Storms Sept 8 include SW Cherokee house fire

Cherokee County firefighters responded to a house fire in the southwestern corner of the county as storms swept through September 8. Lightning is believed to have caused the fire that destroyed this unoccupied house near the Interstate 75/Highway 92 interchange, officials said.

Storms that passed through Cherokee County Monday night kept firefighters busy during the evening, with emergency personnel responding to blazes believed to have been caused by lighting, said Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services spokesman Tim Cavender.

Cherokee Fire-ES responded to a structure fire at about 5:45 p.m. in the southwestern corner of the county near the I-75 and Highway 92 interchange, Cavender said.

"According to Captain Bill Hamby, residents from that area reported heavy lighting about 30 minutes prior to the structure fire call," Cavender said. "The one-story brick home, which was abandoned at the time, was fully involved when firefighters arrived on the scene. The house was completed gutted by the fire."

About 10 minutes after the southwestern Cherokee fire, a structure fire was reported in Towne Lake at  800 Chase Point, Cavender said.

"The fire was quickly extinguished before any major damage could occur," Cavender said of the Towne Lake fire.

Both September 8 fires were attributed to apparent lightning strikes, Cavender said, adding no injuries were reported at either fire.

There were several reports of fallen trees and downed power lines as a result of the stormy weather, and trees and debris were promptly removed, Cavender said.