By By Lydia Grimes – lifestyles reporter
A mobile home that was destined to be the new home of Christy Ates went up in smoke on Thursday.
When Ridge Road volunteer firefighters responded to a fire at 4855 Ridge Road at approximately 3 p.m., they found a grass fire that was being fanned by the wind. The department called in backup from East Brewton Fire Department, Roberts Volunteer Fire Department and Dixonville Volunteer Fire Department. Escambia County Forestry also responded to the call, as did the D.W. McMillan Ambulance.
The wind also swept the fire across the field and it quickly became a brush fire. While the volunteers from Ridge Road fought the fire at the mobile home, the others who responded worked on getting the brush fire stopped.
The mobile home was located behind the home of James Murphy, who is Ates' father.
Ates, who uses a wheelchair, works at the Brewton Police Department.
In a later development of this fire, the Ridge Road Volunteer Fire Department was called back to the scene about 11 that night. The fire in the mobile home had been reignited when a sidewall, that contained sparks, fell and the wind fanned the sparks into flames. It was doused with water once again to finally cool the site.
Young said there had been any number of fires in the last few weeks and that cold weather only seemed to make it worse.
Also last week, Brewton firefighters responded to a house fire at about 7 p.m. Tuesday at 1003 Sowell Road.
When they arrived, reports said, the home was already fully engulfed. Fire Chief Lawrence Weaver said it appeared the fire started in the kitchen area, but the fire is still under investigation.
No one was home at the time, so no injuries were reported.