Man, dog die in Butler fire
By Carolyn Reid and Burton Cole
A fire Monday morning at the corner of Fourth and Broad Streets in Falmouth reduced a house to ashes and brought in three fire departments to help control the blaze.
It was the second home destroyed by fire in less than a week. Noble Gabbard Jr., 47, and his dog died in a house fire Wednesday morning at 2887 River Road, Butler.
On Monday, Eddie Huffman, the resident of the home, was able to escape, but he lost his dog in the blaze that quickly spread into the second floor of the home and out the roof. The energy of the fire shattered windows and poured smoke out of the corners of walls as it consumed the home that has stood as long as residents can remember.
According to Fire Chief Travis Reis, the call came into the department at 8:17 a.m. and was called in by Councilperson Sabrina Hazen.
“She could see the fire on the front porch from her house,” Reis said.
By the time firefighters arrived before 8:30 a.m., the structure was fully involved in flames. As the fire progressed, billows of smoke could be seen as far away as State Route 330.
Witnesses say the fire started in
the area of the front porch, and Reis estimates the fire started around 8:10 a.m.
Northern Pendleton provided mutual aid, and Southern Campbell was asked to respond for more manpower that was needed due to the size of the blaze.
To further complicate the situation, the hydrant closest to the house was frozen due to the cold, so a line was extended from the corner of Main and Broad, and another was pulled from Robbins to the blaze.
Reis says the fire will be investigated especially considering insurance, but it does not appear to be foul play. He could not determine a suspected source of the fire.
Firefighters began leaving the scene at approximately 11:30 a.m.
Huffman has been in contact with the Red Cross, and they are getting him a place to stay, Reis confirmed.
Last Wednesday’s fire was called in at 9:30 a.m. as a house explosion.
Reis said that he immediately called police Chief Marty Hart, who doubles as the fire investigator. They quickly determined that it was not an explosion.
“It was a structure fire that started up in the middle of the night that no one had noticed,” Reis said.
Someone had taken a photo of glow in the distance and posted it on social media, asking if anyone knew what was happening, but no called the fire department until hours later when a neighbor heard explosions. The booms that the woman heard were tires on the man’s pickup truck exploding in the heat, he said.
“We don’t believe it to be suspicious,” Reis said. “We believe it was caused by a wood stove, but with all the damage, we can’t know that for sure.”
Gabbard had been staying at his grandmother Stella Whitaker’s house while working on it. Gabbard’s body was found in the basement. Reis said it wasn’t clear if that’s where he and the dog were sleeping or if they fell after the house burned.
“We don’t believe it to be suspicious,” Reis said. “We believe it was caused by a wood stove, but with all the damage, we can’t know that for sure.”
Hot spots and burn pattern suggested the wood stove, he said.
Reis urged residents who use wood stoves to take precautions.
“They say you should clean out your wood stove twice a year. My recommendation, as cold as it’s been, I’d clean them out more often,” Reis said. “They sell cleaning logs to burn in your stove. I’d burn one once a month, and every three months, I’d run a brush down the chimney.
“And be cautious,” he said. “Keep an eye on it and make sure they’re clean.”