sfoster@pickenssentinel.com
PICKENS - Pickens firefighters were put to task Sunday, battling two different blazes that destroyed two homes.
The first was an abandoned home on Bethlehem Church Road, used by the owner for storing hay and plywood, according to Fire Chief David Porter.
Firefighters were called to the scene at 2:26 a.m. to find the house totally engulfed in flames, Porter said.
The fire was so hot it burned the outer layer of hose before they could get water running into it, he said.
A 32-person crew stayed on the scene four hours, also spraying down a smaller home 20 feet away to keep it from catching fire too.
The abandoned home was located between the owner's home and his son's home. The son saw the fire and called fire officials. He also warned the occupants of the smaller home, who then moved their vehicles to safety, Porter said.
No one was injured in the fire, which is still under investigation.
Porter said the blaze started during Sunday night's thunderstorm, and lightening may have been a contributor.
Pickens firefighters had little time to recover though, responding to a second fire just after noon Sunday.
A mobile home on Crescent Hill Road caught on fire near the breaker box while the family was cooking lunch, Porter said.
"They were cooking dinner, and the father heard a noise," the chief said. "He said the fire was burning around the breaker box and that the smoke alarm went off about the time they heard the noise."
The father tried to pour water on the blaze but quickly abandoned the effort, Porter said.
He and his two sons escaped the fire uninjured.
By the time firefighters arrived in the scene, the back part of the home was completely engulfed, Porter said.
All contents of the home were destroyed, mainly by smoke and heat, he said, and part of the home was destroyed.
They lost basically everything they had," Porter said. "And they had just bought school supplies Saturday."
The Red Cross responded to the scene, and the three are staying with family, Porter said.
About 25 firefighters took about 30 minutes to get the fire under control, and they stayed longer to make sure hot spots were put out.
The fire was caused by an electrical problem, Porter said.
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