Structure Fire Turns Bizarre

Structure Fire Lands One in Jail –

Emergency Officials recently responded to the scene of a reported structure fire on Nichols Lane, just off County Road 415 in the Pine Ridge Community.  Upon arrival, Clarke County Sheriff Deputies were met with resistance behind a locked gate.  According to reports, the homeowner denied access to both deputies and volunteer firefighters to access the emergency scene.

After several tense moments of negotiating, all-while the home was still burning, the gate was finally unlocked by the homeowner and allowed firefighters to extinguish the blaze.

911 Dispatchers contacted additional deputies to respond to the scene along with Clarke County EMA and the State Fire Marshal’s Office about the incident.

CCHT is told that one person was arrested and transported from the scene to the Clarke County Jail where charges of disorderly conduct and failure to comply were cited.

Hopewell, Snell and East Quitman Fire Departments responded to the fire scene.  The incident is still under investigation by both county and state officials.  Sources say, per the State of Mississippi Fire Marshal’s Office, that no home/property owner has the authority to deny access to the scene of any emergency situation except the County Sheriff or other higher-ranking officer of the law.

The home was considered a total loss.

CCHT will post more on this story as soon as we have it available from officials.