By Brandon Martin
Henry County fire crews and rescue personnel responded to two separate structure fires on Feb. 6, that have both been ruled accidental.
The Martinsville-Henry County 911 Communications Center received the call at 12:38 p.m. and Horsepasture Volunteer Fire Department, Patrick-Henry Volunteer Fire Department, Fieldale Volunteer Fire Department, Henry County Public Safety, Fieldale-Collinsville Volunteer Rescue Squad, and the Henry County Sheriff’s Department arrived to the house on Valley Drive to subdue the fire and control the scene.
Public Safety’s Fire Marshal Lisa Garrett said that the fire was ruled accidental and officials “haven’t ruled out the possibility of the wood stove” being a potential source for the fire.
She said that the house “sustained a great deal of damage, but ultimately it will be up to the insurance company” to decide if it is worth salvaging.
As the crews were cleaning up the scene on Valley Drive, Fieldale’s fire team was dispatched to another fire on Tilley Drive.
Company 13 and Tanker 1320 from Horsepasture traveled the estimated two miles away from the first fire to help the Fieldale fight a second blaze, officials said.
Both fires are still under investigation by the Henry County Department of Public Safety.
