Investigators look into suspicious fire
By John Joyce
Published in News on June 26, 2014 1:46 PM
The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating a suspicious fire that destroyed an abandoned house on Royal Avenue early Wednesday.
Goldsboro Fire Department Engine 2 was toned out to a structure fire at 707 Royal Ave. at 5:31 a.m., Assistant Fire Chief Eric Lancaster said.
Crews swept the house and found no one inside.
"It was a total loss," Lancaster said.
A preliminary investigation ruled out all possible accidental causes, including electrical, he said.
"There was power to the house, but the wires were going to the meter. We called Progress Energy out, and when they opened it up, there were plastic clips, so no power was going into the house," Lancaster said.
He added that the listed owner of the property, Ed Brogden Jr., 80, had told him a door might have been left unsecured, and that in the past, trespassers had been known to go in and out of the house at will.
Goldsboro police secured the burned out structure while the fire department changed shifts.
C-Shift came on concluded the investigation.
"They found some stuff they thought Goldsboro Police Department should look at so the investigation was turned over to them." Lancaster said.
The value of the home is listed on the report at $26,600.