New Year’s Eve fire destroys family’s home
photos courtesy of Pontiac-Price Place Volunteer Fire Department This home on Potts Lane, near the Missouri-Arkansas line, was demolished in a New Year’s Eve fire. Firefighters from four different departments responded and contained the fire to the structure-area, but the home was lost. It was fully engulfed when a neighbor first spotted it and called it in to 911. No one was home at the time, and there were no injuries except, sadly, a pet that is thought to have perished in the blaze.
Firefighters were unable to get their pumpers up the driveway and had to return to their bases to retrieve brush trucks to fight the blaze.
It was around 7:15 p.m. New Year’s Eve when the Timber Knob Volunteer Fire Department was first dispatched to a house fire on Potts Lane, a home located in a rural area between Highways 5 south and J/201, southwest of Mammoth.
The call came into the Ozark County Sheriff’s Department’s dispatch line from a neighbor who saw the home fully engulfed and called 911. The report in the Ozark County Sheriff’s Dispatch log shows that the reporting party told the dispatcher that they were unsure if anyone was inside the home, which was fully ablaze.
Lick Creek, Pontiac-Price Place and Oakland (Arkansas) Volunteer Fire Departments were also dispatched to respond in mutual aid.
Fire Chief Nancy Winslow told the Times that when fire crews arrived, the driveway to the home prevented the fire crews from driving their pumper trucks to the structure, causing Lick Creek and Pontiac VFDs to go back to the station for brush trucks. Winslow said that there was also a 5-ton diesel Army truck that was brought and used by firefighters.
The home was a complete loss, but firefighters were able to keep the fire contained. Winslow said the home had a basement, so most of the family’s belongings collapsed into it.
The Ozark County Ambulance was also called to the scene, but it was confirmed that no one was inside the house at the time. There were no injuries, and the crew returned to base.
Winslow said that family who resided at the home had recently had a baby. She believed one of their pets may have perished in the fire.
The cause of the fire is unknown, she said, although the family had an issue with an electrical outlet in the front room recently, which they think may have led to the fire.