From the Volunteer Fire Department of Macedonia

FORREST COUNTY, Mississippi (WDAM) – Firefighters from three departments battled a house fire in Forrest County late into Thursday night that ravaged a home but left no injuries.

Shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday, firefighters from the Macedonia Volunteer Fire Department responded to a call for a fire at a residence on Green Bay Drive near the community of Sunrise.

Units from the Petal Fire Department and the Sunrise Volunteer Fire Department were also deployed.

The emergency room said a neighbor reported the fire and said flames were visible.

Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a two-story brick house with wood frame construction. The fire was visible on the second floor and was escaping through the roof after it had already burned through.

When the house was searched, it turned out that there were no residents there. The firefighters fought the fire inside with three hoses.

Austin Extine, chief of the Macedonia VFD fire department, said firefighters got the fire under control after about 90 minutes, but units remained on scene for another two hours to extinguish hot spots and try to salvage items for residents.

While only the second floor of the home sustained major damage from the fire, a structural collapse in the first floor ceiling, spot fires on the ground floor, and smoke and water damage resulted in the home being a total loss, Extine said.

Extine said an initial investigation suggested the fire was started by a lightning strike, but the final cause of the fire will not be determined until an official investigation is completed.

Also on scene were the Forrest County Sheriff’s Department, AAA Ambulance Service and Dixie Electric Power Association.

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