Goldsboro Fire Dept. report
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on October 10, 2004 2:08 AM
The Goldsboro Fire Department put out four major structure fires, causing an estimated $122,000 in damages, in September.
The fires were among the 193 calls that the department answered, Chief Bobby Greenfield said in his monthly report.
The fire that caused the most damage, $65,000, occurred Sept. 24 at Amirian's Fine Art & Framing at 109 N. Center St. It spread up the wall and to the stairs to the second and third floors. Smoke also damaged the adjacent old theater building, which was used for storage by Waynesborough Furniture Co.
Damage was estimated at $50,000 to the building and $15,000 to contents. The building was valued at $325,000, and contents were valued at $200,000, the report said.
Fire officials determined that the blaze started in the rear of the building in a bathroom near the electrical panel box. A further investigation of the cause was referred to police.
Police Sgt. David Kelly agreed Friday with the determination, saying an electrical failure had caused the fire. But he said insurance investigators were looking more closely into the fire.
A storage building and its contents, each valued at $18,000, also were destroyed in a fire Sept. 22 at 400 Green Drive. Fire officials also referred the blaze to police for a further investigation.
An airman at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base was driving by at about 12:30 a.m., saw the flames, awakened the residents and called for help.
When firefighters responded, they found the building engulfed in fire. The right front corner of the shed was connected to the rear corner of the home. The outside brick wall of the home received minimal smoke damage, officials said. The home, owned by Benjamin Boyette, was valued at $100,000.
A lighted candle was blamed Sept. 13 for starting a fire that damaged a home at 1006 S. Claiborne St. Firefighters responded, found heaving smoke showing and quickly extinguished the fire.
Greenfield said the residents were interviewed and officials determined that two children, ages 7 and 3, had been playing in a bedroom and had knocked a candle onto the bed.
Firefighters also answered a call Sept. 5 to a vacant building at 701 S. John St. and found flames inside. A new sprinkler system had put out part of the fire.
When the owner said the building had been vacant for six months and it had no electricity, an investigation of the fire was referred to police. A day later several children were arrested and charged with breaking into the building and damaging a car and art items.
Damage was estimated at $1,000 to the building and $4,000 to the contents. The building was valued at $100,000 and contents were valued at $15,000.
In September, Fire Department personnel also took part in 461 hours of company training and 1,731 hours of individual training.