Weekend Amboy fires take two homes, a barn and a shed

AMBOY – The origins of four structure fires in and around Amboy over the weekend, while still under investigation, are not suspicious, and no one was injured, although both homes, a barn and a shed all were total losses, Fire Chief Jeff Bryant said.

The fire that took the first home began around midnight Saturday in the 1400 block of Amboy Road. The two residents in the two-and-a-half story home at the time called 911 and evacuated.

Their 5-month-old puppy was killed in the blaze, which took about five hours to extinguish.

It appears the fire began in the basement. The state fire marshal is investigating, Bryant said.

Around 12:30 a.m. Monday, firefighters were called to the intersection of Mason and East Bluff streets, where a one-story home was ablaze. That fire is believed to have begun on the outdoor patio; it, too, is under investigation by the state fire marshal, he said.

Three people were home at the time, and they called 911. It took around three hours to put the fire out.

All involved are staying with family and friends, and both homes were insured, Bryant said.

The barn and shed fires both were in the 1300 block of state Route 52.

The barn fire was reported shortly before 3 p.m. Saturday, and the shed fire began around 7 p.m. Sunday, about a mile up the road.

There was some online speculation that the fires were the result of storm cleanup efforts, but that was not the case, Bryant said.

While four fires in such a short span of time – less than 34 hours – is unusual, the spate appears to be coincidental, he said.

The Lee County Emergency Management Agency is warning that conditions are very dry, heightening the risk of grass and brush fires.

The wind also is expected to pick up by Wednesday, further elevating the risk, the agency said on its Facebook page.