County fires fought

By By William F. West / community editor
Feb. 27, 2003
Lauderdale County volunteer firefighters spent the last 24 hours responding to three fires.
One fire leveled a vacant house, the other caused considerable damage to a residence and a third caused only slight damage to a residence, firefighters said.
The latest fire happened about 5 a.m. today at a vacant house, an old frame structure located along Hamrick Road between Collinsville and West Lauderdale High School. Firefighters rushed to the scene but found the structure leveled as a result of the fire.
Lauderdale County Emergency Management Director Clarence Butler said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Butler said another fire broke out Wednesday at about 8 a.m. along Rollins Drive in the Dalewood area. He said the homeowner had just left to go to work when the fire began in the single-story structure.
Butler said he and firefighters suspect the fire started because a burning cigarette had been left in the bedroom.
Butler said firefighters also responded to a report of a fire Wednesday at about 2 p.m. along Russell-Topton Road between U.S. 45 and U.S. 11 &80. He said someone was preparing to cook food but left the stove unattended, resulting in a grease fire that caused slight damage to the kitchen.
Butler said no one was injured in any of the three fires.