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Suspicious Fires Abound

April 24, 2008|MICHAEL BROIHIER

The first fire was without a doubt arson. Sunday just before midnight, someone used fuel stored at Ricky McCammon's farm on the top of Mims Road to burn three equipment sheds to the ground, and failed to burn a fourth. The equipment, including a John Deere tractor, two full gravity feed wagons, sprayers, plows, several bush hogs and mowers, as well as stored feed and hay in three of the buildings, were a total loss. Another tractor was slightly damaged in the spectacular fire that was visible from Hustonville.

The evidence of arson was everywhere. The arsonists left behind a gas can they used to spread flames from building to building, but fire investigators said it was impossible to get fingerprints from the soaked can. The one surviving tractor still had stains where the gas had soaked it but failed to ignite.

Mr. McCammon's farm is the last one on Mims Road, a winding dirt road off of Rube Brown in Geneva, and almost half a mile from the nearest neighbor. He has left his equipment there for more than 20 years and never lost a thing. Working through the wreckage of his life's work to salvage whatever he could, Mr. McCammon was furious that "you can work your whole life for something and someone takes it away from you in 30 minutes. They can wipe you out in an hour."

The destruction was as complete at the South Fork Lake Road home of Randall Payton. Mr. Payton returned from work Monday afternoon to find his remote South Fork home half consumed by fire. After what he said "felt like forever," fire crews arrived but the house was a total loss. Busy state fire investigator Pat Alford (there is one arson investigator for 11 eleven counties, including Lincoln) was scheduled to investigate the fire Tuesday afternoon, but it either rekindled or was reignited by arsonists before he could begin. Firefighters wouldn't speculate about the source of ignition, but Mr. Payton's large gun collection had been emptied from an open gun safe before the fire started, making arson highly probable.

The second day's fire completed the damage of Monday's and left Mr. Payton crediting "the best neighbor ever" for giving him a place to temporarily live just down the road from his place. And the "best boss and friend you could ever have," Mr. Todd Gooch of Gooch Construction, for giving him hope. After he heard of the fire, Mr. Gooch called Mr. Payton and said, "Don't worry about anything, we're going to get you a trailer to live in." Mr. Gooch said, "He's worked for me for probably 16 years, and I always treat my employees like family. I'll move some equipment down there to clean it up, and help him out until he can get back on his feet."

There has been a three-month hiatus in obvious arson fires in the county, and whether it's the work of the same people or someone new, they have clearly crossed the line now, at least in the view of both Mr. McCammon and Mr. Payton. It's not often that you hear "someone is going to die" twice in one day, but destroying a man's livelihood or his home out of greed or malice evokes those strong emotions.

The trio of suspicious fires began Saturday morning when a vacant house in Rowland burned. Lincoln Cuonty Fire Chief Danny Glass called the fire suspicious because no utilities were hooked to the house. Chief Glass said the house is owned by Jack Southerland, who lives in Michigan. The chief said he had been unable to speak with Mr. Southerland.

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