Columbia firefighters extinguish the blaze.

A truck belonging to West Marion Head Football Coach Brad Duncan caught on fire and was destroyed as it was parked behind the Giggles Preschool Learning Center on Broad Street in Columbia this afternoon. Duncan was inside the preschool talking with his daughter who works there when someone came inside and said a truck in the parking lot was on fire. Duncan went outside to see his truck in flames and said he did not know what caused it to catch on fire. The Columbia Fire Department arrived on scene to extinguish the fire. A passerby saw smoke and reported the fire to 911.

West Marion Head Football Coach Brad Duncan, left, gets his keys back from a firefighter.

The smoke billows from the truck.

Assistant Superintendent Will Russell stands in his office that was damaged in the fire.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

There is still no estimate on what it will cost to make repairs to the Marion County School District office, which caught on fire Friday.

Eddie Ray Breakfield with SouthGroup Insurance of Columbia, is the agent overseeing the claim, and he said he hopes to have an estimate this week.

Breakfield on Monday appeared before the Marion County School Board, which held its regularly scheduled meeting in the boardroom admidst the strong smell of smoke left over from the fire. The public hearing on the 2010-2011 budget was postponed until next Monday night at 6 p.m. because of the fire.

The board voted in favor of an emergency declaration, which allows the superintendent and School District business manager to make necessary repairs to the building without going through the traditional bidding process, which can be time consuming. It is unclear what the insurance deductible is.

Breakfield assured the board that even though there won’t be a bid process that citizens should know that the insurance companies are not going to award contracts to companies with high prices.

Work has already begun on getting the smell of smoke out of the building. Ceiling tiles and insulation may have to be removed to get the smoke smell out. The primary damage to the building was light to moderate smoke and water damage, with Assistant Superintendent Will Russell’s office taking the biggest hit. Russell praised the fire departments for doing an excellent job fighting the blaze. The building also suffered some damage from the fire fighting efforts in that windows had to be broken out to provide ventilation, a hole had to be cut in the roof and eaves had to be ripped down to battle the blaze.

Breakfield said the fire was started by lightning striking a radio tower on the building.

Firefighters break down the front door to the Marion County School District office to gain access to the fire.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

The Marion County School District office on Highway 13 North in Columbia caught on fire Friday night but escaped destruction thanks to quick action by firefighters.

(See the photo gallery below for more pictures from the fire.)

Firefighters from several departments were on scene for several hours fighting the blaze. Smoke billowed from the southeast corner of the building, and firefighters had to break down the front door to the School District office to gain entry.

The building suffered moderate to heavy damage in the southeast corner of the building with light smoke damage throughout the rest. School District employees showed up on scene and carried computers, documents, personal belongings and other items out of the smoking building. Superintendent Ronald Fortenberry was on scene and said the primary damage was to one office, which had smoke and water damage.

People carry computers out of the School District building.

Firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof to gain access to the blaze and bust out windows to provide ventilation. Superintendent Fortenberry said witnesses reported seeing lightning strike the building. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation, according to the Columbia Fire Department.

Fortenberry said it is too early to tell whether normal business operations will resume at the office on Monday. Firefighters from the Columbia Fire Department were assisted by volunteer departments from Morgantown, Foxworth and Tri-Community, and Columbia Police blocked Main Street while the fire was extinguished.

City officials including Mayor Reed Houston and Alderman Todd Pittman were on scene as was State Rep. Ken Morgan, R-Morgantown. Firefighters battled hot weather in heavy gear and stayed hydrated with bottled water.

The Hattiesburg Eye Clinic is adjacent to the School District building, and it is unclear if it suffered any damage. This is the third structure fire this week for the Columbia Fire Department with one also occurring at apartments on Barnes Street Thursday and another at a trailer on D Street on Monday.

From left, Columbia Fire Department Capt. T.J. Tolar, firefighter Blake Pigott and apartment owner Chuck Royce converse at the scene.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

A  fire caused minor damage to an apartment at 409 Broad St. Monday night around 10:30.

The owner of the apartment, Chuck Royce, said he had recently evicted the tenant and that no one was supposed to be living there. No one was in the apartment when the Columbia Fire Department arrived on scene. The fire started from the stove, according to the Fire Department.

Jarrod Medious said he and three friends were driving down Broad Street on their way to Wal-Mart when they saw flames in the window and called 911. Darryl McNair and Casey Dillon knocked on the door to see if anyone was inside and no one answered, they said. “If we had not called it in, it would have burned down,” said Lamon Stepney.

The apartment was located in a house that contained three other apartments. It is unclear if residents of the other apartments were at home at the time of the fire.

No one was in the apartment when the Columbia Fire Department arrived on scene.

The residence was spared major damage.

Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department responded to a structure fire this afternoon at 232 Christian Union Road.

The fire was contained to the bathroom and closet with minor damage to the residence. The cause of the blaze is under investigation by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office fire investigator. Four engines and 16 personnel responded to the fire.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

It is unknown what caused a house at 109 Horseshoe Drive in Columbia to catch on fire twice.

The Columbia Fire Department responded to the house fire the first time on Sunday at around 4:49 p.m. and again at 1:48 a.m. this morning.

Columbia Fire Department Chief Larry Ratliff said the state Fire Marshal’s Office will investigate the fire that caused heavy damage to the home. No one was hurt.

According to Ratliff, Dianna Speights and Karen Merritt were renting the residence that was owned by Belinda Young and two other sisters.

Electric power and gas to the home was cut off after the first fire. Someone was at home at the time of the first fire, but it is unclear who, said Ratliff. No one was at home at the time of the second fire, according to Ratliff.

A fire report states that the south side of the home was engulfed in flames when firefighters showed up to the first fire. Flames were coming from the roof when the Fire Department arrived on scene the second time, the reports states.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded Southwest Marion Volunteer Fire Department with an Assistance to Firefighters Grant of $49,567. 

Most of the funds ($34,825) will be used to purchase turnout gear and self-contained breathing apparatus to protect firefighters working in and around a burning structure.  Such equipment is necessary for firefighters to enter a burning home in the event an individual is in need of rescue.  The remaining balance will be used to purchase a thermal imaging camera which is used to find fires hidden inside of walls, and drop tanks which are setup on a fire scene to provide a continuous flow of water.

While volunteers are the key to SWMVFD’s success, receiving this grant will further advance SWMVFD’s efforts to reduce property insurance rates for residents living in the Southwest Marion Fire Protection District, which includes the communities of Kokomo, New Hope, Cheraw, Hurricane Creek, and Sandy Hook. Any resident wishing to obtain information on volunteering may contact Ed Young at 601.736.8240.

A Foxworth woman was taken to Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg last night after suffering from smoke inhalation when the house belonging to her and her husband was heavily damaged in a fire.

The woman, Rebecca McGowan and her husband, Johnny, were not at home when the fire started but showed up afterwards. While they were standing outside watching the structure burn,  a gust of smoke blew her way, and she inhaled it.

Foxworth Volunteer Fire Chief Stephen Foxworth said the blaze was reported around 8:30 p.m., but it is unclear what caused the fire. Southwest Marion Volunteer Fire Department assisted in extinguishing the fire.

5:21 p.m.: Columbia Fire Department responding to gas line break at 612 High School Ave. Woman said she was digging in her yard and hit gas line. She said she could smell gas. Gas company is also being called.

5:26 p.m.: Gas company enroute

5:52 p.m.: Fire Department still waiting on gas company to arrive. Fire Department asks dispatcher to get estimated time of arrival from gas company.

5:55 p.m. : Gas company arrives on scene.

This house caught on fire twice in a 24-hour period.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

A house caught on fire twice in a 24-hour period earlier this month because of electrical problems, Marion County Fire Marshal Joe Crawford said.

Crawford said the first fire was an electrical fire from the stove. The second fire, Crawford said, was caused by bad wiring in the wall.

The house at 318 Lafayette St. was spared heavy damage the first time it caught on fire April 10. About 15 hours later the Columbia Fire Department responded to another fire at the house, and the second time the structure sustained heavy damage.

The owner of the home was Bobbie Robinson, who rented the structure out to a family.

A fire destroyed a home in Foxworth at 50 Mile High Lane off Highway 35 South this morning. No one was hurt in the blaze that was reported to the Foxworth Volunteer Fire Department at 6:09 a.m.

Gerry Cox was the home owner, but he was not there at the time of the fire. The house was already burned to the ground when the Foxworth Volunteer Fire Department responded with two trucks and seven men.

Foxworth Volunteer Fire Department Chief Stephen Foxworth said the road sign leading to the house had been stolen, which could have made it difficult to find the location. Luckily, firefighters were familiar enough with the area to find the house. Foxworth urges people not to steal the signs because they help emergency responders locate scenes.

This house at 318 Lafayette St. was spared heavy damage the first time it caught on fire Saturday.

But about 15 hours later the Columbia Fire Department responded to another fire at the same house, and the second time the structure sustained heavy damage.

The Columbia Fire Department responded to the first fire at the house at around 12:09 p.m. on Saturday and then responded again at 3 a.m. Sunday. It is unclear what started the fire or what caused it to start again. The Informer has not yet learned the owner’s name.

The fire destroyed this trailer.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

 A trailer that was used mainly for storage burned down this morning around 8:30.

The trailer, located in Goss on East Reservoir Road, was located behind the residence of Jenny and James Hibley. Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department responded to extinguish the blaze.

Jenny Hibley said no one lived in the trailer, but her family had many possessions, including irreplaceable mementos, inside.

Jenny Hibley said the fire may have started from neighbors burning. She said her husband put out a fire that was burning in the woods Monday. She said the fire may have started back up and reached the trailer.

James Hibley talks with officials from the Marion County Sheriff's Office and Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department.

From left, Ellis Dungan, Stuart Walley, Dewayne Broom, Charlie Conerly, Terri Tolar, Cole Robbins, Brenda Rutland, Derek Smith.

Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department held its annual meeting March 22. The following officers were elected for the next year.

Fire Chief – DeWayne Stuckey

Deputy Chief – Keith Stuckey

Station #1 (Bunker Hill) Assistant Chief – Stuart Walley

Station #2 (Goss) Assistant Chief – Ellis Dungan

Station #3 (Improve) Assistant Chief – Brenda Rutland

Station #4 (New Union) Assistant Chief – Dewayne Broom

Station #5 (Keno) Assistant Chief – Cole Robbins

Safety Officer – Charlie Conerly

Communications Officer – Charlie Conerly

Public Relations Officer – Derek Smith

Training Officer – Cole Robbins

Fire & Life Safety Educator – Linda Stuckey

Board President – Cole Robbins

Board Vice-President – Stuart Walley

Board Secretary – Brenda Rutland

Board Treasurer – Terri Tolar Click to continue »

A fire heavily damaged a salon on Highway 13 South early his morning. No one was hurt in the fire, and it is unclear what caused the blaze.

The salon, Dee Dee’s, 993 Highway 13 South, is owned by Augustine Aaron, who said she will probably be closed down for a while she makes repairs. She has been in business for about a year.

The Columbia Fire Department responded to the fire around 2:30 a.m., and the back side of the building was on fire.

This is the second salon fire this week. Salon DeMi in the city was destroyed by a fire earlier this week.

The fire caused the metal roof to cave in around the house.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

 A fire destroyed a home in Marion County at 373 New Hope Road this afternoon, but fortunately everyone made it out OK.

The owner of the home, Mickey Santangelo, is confined to a wheelchair and suffers from a lung disease called COPD.

Santangelo said he and his wife Brenda, their daughter, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren were inside the home when the fire broke out.

The fire alarm sounded, and Brenda went to turn it off, thinking it may be a false alarm when Mickey saw flames coming from the attic. He yelled, “We got a fire,” and everyone made their way to safety. Santaneglo was put into his wheelchair and taken outside.

The homeowners, Mickey and Brenda Santangelo, escaped to safety.

The family’s pet parrot flew outside and into a tree. The bird flew back to Brenda Santangelo shortly after.

It only took 15 minutes from the time he saw the flames for the house to be engulfed in flames, Mickey Santangelo said. Brenda Satangelo knew there was trouble when she saw the fire was in the attic.

Many irreplaceable family heirlooms such as guns and taxidermy mounts were destroyed in the fire. The Santangelos had lived in the house for nine years.

As for whether they will rebuild in the location, Mickey Santangelo said he will have to wait and see what the insurance company says.

Seventeen firefighters responded to the blaze, seven of which came from Third District of Walthall County and the other 10 from Southwest Marion Volunteer Fire Department.

Southwest Marion responded with two engines and one tanker and Third District brought a tanker. Neighbors also helped put out the fire. The cause of the fire is uncertian, but Mickey Santangelo said it could be electrical in nature.

The second house fire in two days struck a home on Evergreen Street in Columbia on Tuesday night around 9 p.m. No one was hurt in the fire. The Columbia Fire Department responded. It is unclear what started the blaze. Earlier in the day, a fire destroyed a salon on Church Street.