12/18/05 — Fire damages five homes in November

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Fire damages five homes in November

By Jack Stephens
Published in News on December 18, 2005 2:01 AM

A mobile home was destroyed and four other homes were damaged in fires in November, Goldsboro Fire Chief Bobby Greenfield said in his monthly report.

No one was injured. Damages were estimated at $67,800.

The fires were among 185 fires and service calls that the department answered during the month.

Unattended cooking was blamed Nov. 29 for a fire that destroyed a rental mobile home at 150 Countryview Drive. The home was 50 percent involved when firefighters arrived within minutes. The resident, Latisha Johnson, escaped the fire.

The home was valued at $2,000, and contents were valued at $2,000, officials said.

A home at 1002 S. Slocumb St. was heavily damaged Nov. 30 in a fire that had started in the living room. The cause could not be determined.

The residents, Willie and Phyllis Warren, saved a treasured Bible from the living room. Mrs. Warren's sister, Rebecca, called the discovery "a miracle."

Damage was estimated at $20,000 to the home that was valued at $30,000. The contents, valued at $10,000, were destroyed.

Two fires on Nov. 26 resulted in about $32,500 in damages.

A burning candle was blamed for a fire that caused an estimated $30,000 in damages to a home at 609 Rudolph St. The candle ignited furniture and fabric. The fire was confined to the family room.

Damage was set at $20,000 to Cynthia Potter's home that was valued at $65,000. About $10,000 worth of contents, valued at $15,000, were damaged.

A porch at 1008 Berry St. sustained about $2,500 in damages in a fire. The home, valued at $130,000, was not damaged.

A kitchen fire on Nov. 2 at 717 Bain St. caused about $1,300 in damages. Unattended cooking was blamed. The resident had put out the fire by the time firefighters arrived within minutes.

The Goldsboro Housing Authority apartment, occupied by Suronprette Howell, was valued at $70,000. Contents were valued at $25,000.

Training

Firefighters took part in 312 hours of company training and 1,330 hours of individual training in November, Greenfield said.

Company training was held in fire equipment familiarization, department organization, friction loss problems, thermal imaging camera, pre-planning, strategy and tactics, sprinkler connections, rapid intervention, self-contained breathing apparatus, high-rise training, snorkel skills and street locations.

Fire prevention

The department conducted eight fire prevention activities that were attended by 626 people in November, the chief said.

The fire safety house was taken to two schools and a business, and a fire truck was taken to a school and two day cares. A Girl Scout troop toured the downtown headquarters station. A lecture on fire safety was given at the Social Security Administr-ation office.