The Scruggs Family Responds

I wasn't able to reach them yesterday but received the following e-mail this morning.



Wednesday, May 30, 2007


We would like to thank everyone who has prayed, stopped by, called, brought food, flowers, money, and for all the love shown to our family. Everything has been greatly and sincerely appreciated.

The following verses has been a great help and strength to our family as we face the difficult days ahead

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.,

Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.,

and Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

We know that we will see Jonathan again because Jonathan is saved and so are we. We pray that many will realize how fragile life is.

Even though the death of our son has been tragic for us, we must forgive just as Christ forgave us, even when it is not easy. So please continue to pray for us.

Love you all and thank you;
Earl and Barbara Scruggs and family.


For more on how the community helped the family in a time of need, read the story here.

To those who know Shannon White

One of the true frustrations of this job is making sure both sides of the story are represented as best they can be. Sometimes that's more doable than others.

Take for instance last week's fatal hit-and-run. We know someone is dead. We know the impact tore the side mirror from the car. We know the driver didn't stick around afterwards. We know the driver was speeding.

All that information comes straight from highway patrol, that's not me talking.

And we can safely assume, based on the fact it's summer and the sun is setting later and later each day, it couldn't have been all that dark outside when the boy was struck by the car somewhere between 8 and 8:30 p.m.

What we didn't know until yesterday was the identity of the driver who came forward the following day and, to his credit, has been cooperative with highway patrol's investigation.

Obviously if I had been provided his name when I wrote the initial story, I would have attempted to get in touch with him so he could share his version. Instead I had to wait until yesterday and, when I did call, the woman who answered hung up when I told her who I was.

Such is life.

Here are a few responses to yesterday's story from shelbystar.com, obviously by those who know the driver:

I hope everyone Is happy. Cause I know for a fact that MR. white Is suffering.

I have known Shannon for about seven years and hes not the person hes being accussed of being he is a caring and LOVING person like all of you dont put him down pray for him to this has been hard on everyone and accidents do happen.

THE PERSON HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED! WHY DOES IT MAKE YOU HAPPY TO KNOW THE NAME? THE FACT IS, PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT! THE TRUTH WILL BE TOLD AND THAT IS A PROMISE!

THE NEWS PAPER IS NOT ALWAYS CORRECT! GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT FIRST!

I completely agree, the newspaper is not always correct. But we strive to be. And if Mr. White's side of the story is lacking in the newspaper it's because he and those close to him have declined to comment.

I would be more than happy to interview Mr. White, his family, or friends so we can provide a more balanced view of the kind of person he is.

If you see them, let them know.

Song of the Day

There are a few things I need to start my day off right at work.

1. Some type of food substance.
2. A Redbull (in the event the food substance lacks enough energy-providing calories).
3. A good song to put me in a good mood.

Thought I might share one such song:

Dave Matthews Band - Ants Marching (1995)

I was fortunate to see the band in Charlotte last summer, the best live show I've attended. If you'd like to read my review of that concert, click here.

Dave Matthews Band - Ants Marching
Uploaded by harrison73

They're coming back to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Sept. 19. I know I'll be there - already have my tickets.

"Do or do not. There is no try."

That of course is a line made famous by the wrinkled up Kermit the Frog that has a syntax problem.

You have no idea how often Emily Killian asks me to do the voice in the newsroom ...

Saw a really good special on the History Channel Monday night, Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed.

If you've seen any Star Wars retrospectives (and I have) you know a few people tend to show up in all of them, the most notable being filmmakers Kevin Smith (Clerks) and Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings).

This was pretty neat in that the 2-hour show also included commentaries from professors, politicians (Newt Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi), comedians (Stephen Colbert), and journalists (Tom Brokaw) on the significance of the six films as modern mythology and all the facets of history the story borrowed from - Greek tragedy to westerns to the Bible.

I've been a fan of the series since I was a child and even I was impressed with just how "deep" the story can be interpreted. Pretty cool stuff.

According to History.com, the next airing will be Sunday, June 3 at 11 p.m.

Community Garden

Just got back from the Project Safe Neighborhood meeting at West Shelby's community garden, 312 McBrayer St.

The garden has come a long way since plots were first dug up a few weeks ago. Several churches and families and even a school have begun planting vegetables, the results of which can already be seen.

There's a lot of progress but a lot of help is still needed when it comes to donations of both money and supplies. If you would like more information, or to donate, contact Julie Young at (704) 484-8996.

I plan to have a story on the garden in the paper this weekend.

Jonathan Scruggs Update

I'll have a story about all this in the paper later in the week but wanted to go ahead and update everyone on the Jonathan Scruggs hit-and-run from last week.

First of all, donations to cover funeral expenses have been overwhelming. I spoke with Faye over at Cleveland Funeral Services this morning and she said the funeral held Saturday was "more than paid off" by donations from the public stemming from The Star's coverage of the story and the funeral home was still receiving donations as of today which would go directly to the family.

She didn't have a grand total of how much was donated by individuals, businesses, or collection boxes at Cleveland Mall but I'll get that figure tomorrow.

I've really been impressed with how the community responded to this story and came forward to make a big difference in this family's life. A lot of people donated money to help a family they had never met, even dropping money off here at The Star. And I know of three people who raised over $1,000 themselves.

Second, the driver of the car that killed Jonathan. N.C. Highway Patrol still hasn't released the name because the man has not yet been charged with a crime. Once the charges are brought to the D.A., which I suspect is coming soon, we'll get that information.

Charles Road Wreck

Here are photos from a wreck at Charles Road and U.S. 74. at around 6 p.m.

Shelby Police Officer Michael Myers said only the two drivers were inside the cars at the time of the collision. Myers said the wreck was caused when the silver Toyota Echo ran a red light and crashed head-on into the green Lexus.

Both drivers were taken to CRMC for treatment, he said, and a complete wreck report would be available Saturday.

Firefighter Memorial

The Cleveland County Firefighter Memorial was held earlier this afternoon.

Amazing Grace and Taps are regular aspects of the service but this year also featured Kevin Tallent (pictured) of the Fallston Volunteer Fire Department performing Vince Gill's "Go Rest High on that Mountain."

You could hear a pin drop.

Footage of the service

"A Mighty Heart"

I caught a great HBO documentary earlier this week entitled The Journalist and the Jihadi: The Murder of Daniel Pearl.

The documentary details not only the kidnapping and death of the Wall Street Journal reporter in 2002 but also his life up to that point and the life of his kidnapper, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh.

Turned on the news this morning and heard that Angelina Jolie will be portraying Pearl's wife in A Mighty Heart , based on the book of the same name written by Mariane Pearl, which will be released in theaters this June.

Sounds like the reviews have been positive, I'm looking forward to seeing it.

http://www.amightyheartmovie.com/

IMDB Profile:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0829459/

Helping the Scruggs Family

The community is really coming together to help the Scruggs' funeral expenses for their son, Jonathan, 18, killed Tuesday in a hit-and-run. According to the family's spokesperson, there is a definate need for funds right now.

I spoke with two women yesterday who work at Shoe Show, at Cleveland Mall, who had raised nearly $250 from stores at the mall.

Then there's the family's church, Unity Baptist, which will certainly do something on the Scruggs' behalf, a member of the church told me.

And there are neighbors, who have never met the Scruggs, who told me they will be going door-to-door today raising funds.

Donations are being collected at Cleveland Funeral Services (which is serving the family) as well as several stores at Cleveland Mall - Chik-fil-A, Shoe Show, and Five Guys.

Bob Jones at Cleveland Funeral Services told me yesterday the family hasn't yet selected what kind of service but said whatever they choose would not be extravagant.

That's not the kind of people they are, he said.

To send online condolences, visit http://www.clevelandfuneralservice.com/

For those out of town who wish to help, donations may be mailed in the family's name to Cleveland Funeral Services, 2518 W Dixon Blvd., Shelby, NC 28152

"Tiny US paper drives multimedia changes"

Getting a blurb in the Washington Post is one thing ... but now England likes us too!

Tiny US paper drives multimedia changes (May 24, 2007, Journalism.co.uk)

East Warren Street Fire

We had a fire earlier this afternoon on East Warren Street, near Osborne Street. This was close enough to the office that Pete Delea walked right on over with a video camera in hand. Of course by then, there wasn't much footage to shoot (not because Pete is slow, it was a small fire).

Shelby Fire Chief William Hunt said the cause isn't yet known but firefighters and Shelby Police were investigating. There was no one inside at the time of the fire, he said, and no one was injured. The fire appeared to be concentrated near a back window.

Saw this as Pete and I walked back, past a baskeball court, and I had to shoot it. You just never know where you'll find a pair of pants.

Who killed Jonathan Scruggs?

A strip of yellow caution tape from where the body of Jonathan Scruggs, 18, was found early this morning after he was struck by a car.

Thankfully Jonathan's parents didn't slam the door in my face when I showed up outside their home with photographer Jeff Melton. The possibility of that happening is always there. After all, what would your reaction be if, mere hours after finding your son dead, a reporter and photographer come knocking?

The parents told the story of a son who, while troubled with autism, recently turned his life around for the better and had just started college and a new job.

Sadly, Jonathan's first day of school and work Tuesday were also his last. He was killed while walking home from Cleveland Mall and the identity of the driver is still unknown. A red side mirror and paint from the vehicle that hit him were the only pieces of evidence found at the scene, state troopers said.

Here's footage of my video interview with the father. It's relatively short (about a minute) but he's very upfront and honest about his feelings toward the person responsible.
http://www.shelbystar.com/onset?id=22013&template=video.html

If you saw anything or know anything about the hit and run, please call N.C. Trooper Mike Ward at (704) 480-5409, or the Crimestoppers anonymous hotline at (704) 481-TIPS (8477).

18-Year-Old Killed in Hit and Run

The news broke earlier this morning. I'll be following up on it later today.

If you have any information, please call the numbers listed below.


18-year-old dead after being hit by a car
Law enforcement needs your help finding the driver in last night’s fatal hit and run
Hays Burchfield
May 23, 2007 - 9:11AM

SHELBY — Cleveland Community College student Jonathan Scruggs, 18, died last night after a car struck him on Caleb Road as he was walking home from the Cleveland Mall, according to N.C. Trooper Sgt. Greg Johnson.

“He was walking last night between 8 and 9, and we got a call at 3:51 this morning that his father had found his body in the ditch,” Johnson said. “It was possibly a red vehicle that hit him due to evidence at the scene.”

Scruggs lived with his parents on Caleb Road, about a half of a mile from where his body was found, Johnson said. He said law enforcement needs your help in finding the person who hit Scruggs and drove away.

“We need anyone who saw him walking to call in,” Johnson said.

If you saw anything or know anything about this incident, please call N.C. Trooper Mike Ward at (704) 480-5409, or you can remain anonymous by calling Crimestoppers at (704) 481-TIPS (8477).

"Are you ready? Are you ready? Let's get it on!"

I've started a new hobby over the past few weeks, courtesy of one of my other favorite hobbies - that being Netflix.

UFC. The Ultimate Fighting Championship.

You've probably seen the commercials plugging the upcoming pay-per-view fights every month. You've probably stumbled across Spike TV during an Ultimate Fight Night special or episode of The Ultimate Fighter reality series.

It's definitely catching steam as not only the leading brand of MMA (mixed martial arts) but also making MMA the new "it" sport. Check out any UFC pay-per-view and you'll see the likes of Cindy Crawford, Nicolas Cage, Pamela Anderson, and Michael Clarke Duncan in the audience.

I'm still in the learning stages. Only a few of the big names ring a bell - Ken Shamrock, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, Randy Coture (pictured; current UFC Heavyweight Champion and the toughest 43-year-old I know of), Matt Hughes. But I dig the science that goes into the fights - the take downs and submissions, the stand ups and knock-out punches.

What really shines through is the personalities of the fighters. That's really what sells it for me. You get to see how they live, how they train, their arrogant comments about how they're going to submit their opponent. It's not too far removed from pro wrestling in that sense, and I've been a fan of that since I hit double digits.

Check it out sometime and let me know what you think. It's not for everyone but if you like combat sports, it might be right up your alley.

Here's Couture as a recent guest of FOX News' "Your World with Neil Cavuto"

Officer Shannon Porter

What are the classical crime prevention theories? What is the safest kind of lock? In a sex assault case, what do you never do?

Those are just some of the questions Shelby Police's Shannon Porter had to answer in order to pass a tough week-long course in Asheville and receive international certification in crime prevention.

72 officers from across the state applied to take the test, Porter said. Of those, only 33 were able to and only 20 passed.

We'll have more later this week on Porter and how his know-how is benefiting Shelby.

CrimeStoppers Payouts

I'm going to have an article in the paper later this week (probably Wednesday) about another major payout by CrimeStoppers and the success the program is seeing.

During the monthly meeting held Monday, the CrimeStoppers board agreed to pay out $400 to an anonymous caller whose information led police to arrest Charles Warren Spikes, 41, who is charged with stabbing a man last month near Booker Street.

That's a nice chunk of change that board members hope will lead to more calls and more information from the public.

Police have credited recent Star articles with a influx of calls coming in, now the only problem is making sure enough money is left in the account to reward new tipsters for their help.

If you have any information about the whereabouts of criminal suspects or crimes, contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at (704) 481-TIPS (8477). Up to $1,000 can be paid out for information leading to an arrest.

Monetary donations to CrimeStoppers can be sent to Fidelity Bank; 331 S. Lafayette St.; Shelby; NC; 28150 Attn: Verna McCluney

The Shelby Police Department, Cleveland County Sheriff's Office, Chen's Chinese Restaurant and Wal-Mart have already given or have verbally committed to donating $1,000 apiece to the cause.

She'll Be Back

Terminator fans will be happy to learn of a new FOX series which bridges the gap between the two sequels - The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

It's a series based off two sequels so my expectations aren't high. But as a Terminator fan since the tender age of 10, I'll at least check out the pilot. Looks like it will arrive mid-season for 07-08.

A summary of the show from Fox.com: http://www.fox.com/programming/new/sarahconnorchronicles.htm

Here's a review of the pilot from TVSquad.com: http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/04/17/the-sarah-connor-chronicles-a-look-at-the-pilot-script/

Chicken, meatballs, and an open bar

Got invited to Chad Thomas' wedding over the weekend. Some of you might remember Chad as our former webmaster at The Star.

Here's a photo I shot at the reception, held at Satterfield's in Shelby. I love the disco ball hanging beside the cow skull - that's personality right there.

I enjoyed getting to see Chad and Jennifer again as well as John Derrick, who came down from Chapel Hill to photograph the wedding.

Cleveland County Sheriff's Office Top 10 Most Wanted

Updated May 18, 2007

The following individuals are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

If you have any information about the whereabouts of these individuals, contact the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office at (704) 484-4888 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (704) 481-TIPS (8477).

Monetary donations to CrimeStoppers can be sent to Fidelity Bank; 331 S. Lafayette St.; Shelby; NC; 28150 Attn: Verna McCluney



Richard Wayne Dover
White Male
DOB: 01/13/1968
Last Known Address: 127-A Bessie Drive, Kings Mountain
Charges: 2 counts of Misdemeanor Larceny of Motor Vehicle; Misdemeanor Possession of Stolen Goods / Property; Obtain Property by False Pretense; 8 counts of Felony Larceny of Motor Vehicle; Felony Possession of Stolen Goods / Property; Failure to Appear on charges of: Misdemeanor Possession of Stolen Goods / Property, Larceny of Motor Vehicle, Felony Possession of Stolen Goods / Property, Altering Serial Numbers, and Misdemeanor Larceny

Larry Dean Mincey
White Male
DOB: 10/17/1970
Last Known Address: 1417 Buck Ford Road, Shelby
Charges: Interfere with Emergency Communications; Assault With a Deadly Weapon; Assault by Strangulation

James Bernard Chambers
Black Male
DOB: 11/12/1962
Last Known Address: 209 Apt 2 Rosemont Drive, Shelby
Charges: Possession With Intent to Sell & Deliver Cocaine & Sell / Deliver Schedule II Controlled Substance

G L Sizemore, Jr.
White Male
DOB: 12/13/1959
Last Known Address: 111 Farris Road, Kings Mountain
Charges: True Bill Of Indictment on Failure to Appear on Charge of Felony First Degree Statutory Rape, Failure to Appear on Charge of Indecent Liberties with a Child, Failure to Appear on Charge of Obtain Property by False Pretense

Rene Vidales Mejia
Hispanic Male
DOB: 04/30/1978
Last Known Address: 1422 S. Ridge St., Shelby
Charges: Failure to Appear on charge of Misdemeanor Probation Violation Out of County

Darryl Lee Garnes
White Male
DOB: 11/29/1988
Last Known Address: 132 Hatcher Road
Charges: Failure to Appear on felony charges of Burning Personal Property and misdemeanor Injury To Real Property

James Oneil Walton
Black Male
DOB: 08/12/1981
Last Known Address: 445 Gantts Grove Church Road, Mooresboro
Charges: Fail To Appear On The Following Charges: Felony Flee to Elude Arrest With a Motor Vehicle; Possession With Intent to Sell and Deliver Cocaine; Possession of Stolen Firearm; Misdemeanor Simple Possession of Schedule VI Controlled Substance, Carrying a Concealed Gun; 2 counts Resisting Public Officer; Possession of Marijuana Up to ½ Oz; 3 counts Failure to Appear on Misdemeanor Charges; Fictitious Information to Officer and Felony Probation Violation

Luther Tremaine Ruff
Black Male
DOB: 01/25/1976
Last Known Address: 514 St. Luke Church Road, Kings Mountain
Charges: 3 Counts of Fail To Appear / Contempt of Court / Child Support

Donelle Eric Smith
Black Male
DOB: 10/30/1979
Last Known Address: 113 McGinnis Road, Grover
Charges: 2 counts of Probation Violation

Rocio Iglesias Ricardo
Hispanic Female
DOB: 12/10/1980
Last Known Address: 115-16 Bradley Road
Charges: Identity Theft

Bear Sighting!

Yeah, I know. Probably not what you were expecting.

In my defense, I did at least try to find the black bear seen over the past few days near Double Shoals Road. I slowly drove through the area, got out and walked around ... no luck.

Here are some photographs I took near where he was seen. You can see just how thick the woods are - plenty of good hiding space.

I don't think he wants to be found.

For those concerned, I don't think this is something we should deadbolt the doors and load the guns over. Black bears are by and large very shy, not aggressive and they tend to avoid human contact. Pretty sure was just looking for food.

However, Cleveland County 911 received several calls Wednesday and today regarding the bear. Trust me, it's a good listen.

http://community.shelbystar.com/audio/bear911/index.php

You can read Friday's article here: http://www.shelbystar.com/onset?id=21865&template=article.html

For more information on black bears, here are some good websites I came across in my research:

BlackBear.org

WildWNC.org

eNature.com

Meth Arrests

Here's Lester and Susan Hawkins, of 2301 Brookfield Drive, Shelby.

County investigators arrested the couple Tuesday on methamphetamine charges after serving a search warrant on their home.

Lt. Joel Shores said about seven grams of methamphetamine, 50 grams of marijuana, Xanex, Klonopin, Hydrocodone, scales and individual baggies were among the items seized from the couple’s home (seen above).

Shores said that while meth labs have decreased in Cleveland County, the amount of meth imported from outside state lines has increased.

Most of the imported meth, also referred to as "ice," is being made in Mexico.

2007 Crime Numbers

Reported crime in Shelby is down 12% for the first four months of 2007, according to police. What does that equate to in terms of specific crimes? Read ahead.

April 2006 (year to date) vs. April 2007 (year to date)

• Murder: 2 to 1 (-50%)
• Rape: 3 to 7 (+133%)
• Robbery: 18 to 17 (-6%)
• Commercial robbery: 5 to 4 (-20%)
• Individual robbery: 13 to 13 (0%)
• Assault: 33 to 28 (-15%)
• Violent crime: 56 to 53 (-5%)
• Burglary: 138 to 73 (-47%)
• Residential burglary: 102 to 54 (-47%)
• Non-residential burglary: 18 to 9 (-50%)
• Commercial burglary: 18 to 10 (-44%)
• Larceny: 265 to 270 (+2%)
• Auto Theft: 35 to 15 (-57%)
• Arson: 0 to 3
• Fraud: 59 to 42 (-29%)
• Embezzlement: 8 to 7 (-13%)
• Vandalism: 98 to 93 (-5%)
• Prostitution: 5 to 6 (+20%)

Arrests for the same timeframe are up 3% from 2006.

So, what have we learned?

The boycott, if it was legit, seemingly didn't make much difference here in town. Yes, gas pumps were largely empty when I stopped by but that was early afternoon. From speaking with those at the pump, it appears news of the boycott didn't reach as far as "organizers" had hoped.

An excerpt from TruthOrFiction.com regarding the mass e-mail which prompted the "boycott":

The email says that it's been calculated that if everyone in the United States would avoid buying gasoline for just one day, the oil companies would "choke" on their stockpiles. It encourages a boycott of oil companies to protest high gas prices. The latest version called for a boycott on May 15, 2007. Some versions reference similar campaigns that allegedly took place in other years, such as 1997 and 1999 or "last year."

... We've talked with representatives of the oil industry who say that a one-day boycott of gas stations would not really accomplish much because those who decided not to buy gas on that day would still presumably need gas within several days. The sales for a given week or month would probably end up being the same.

For more holes in the story and background on previous attempts, click the link below.

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/f/fuelprotest.htm

So, what have we learned?

Don't believe everything you read on the Internet.

"It doesn't bother me"

2:49 p.m. at Texaco at the corner of U.S. 74 and South Post Road.

Jeremy Gibson, of Shelby, was at the pumps. He said he commutes from Shelby to Charlotte, where he works, and wasn't discouraged by the high gas prices.

"It doesn't bother me," Gibson said. "I've got to buy gas."

Eva White, an employee inside, said business was usual and possibly even up from the average Tuesday.

"They have to buy gas. How would they get to work?"

2:41 p.m. at the Citgo at the corner of South Post Road and Marion Street.

There was no one at the pumps. Employees inside weren't aware of the boycott and hadn't noticed any drop off in business.

"They have to buy gas," one employee said. "How would they get to work?"

"It's ridiculous"

2:36 p.m. at One Stop at the corner of Marion Street and Cherryville Road.

Jim Damico, of Cherryville, was among the handful a the pumps. He wasn't aware of the boycott but said he would have participated had he known.

"It's ridiculous," he said of the gas prices.

Two employees inside said they had heard about the boycott but it hadn't affected their business.

"We've made money," said one employee, citing business was anything but down.

"Take a picture"

2:10 p.m. at the One Stop at the corner of Buffalo and Grover street

There was a police officer inside chatting when I walked in.

How's business been?

"Take a picture," the officer smiled.

So I did.

Despite the empty pumps, manager Kathleen Absher said business had been normal.

National Gas Boycott

Internet users might have come across an e-mail persuading them to not buy gas today (May 15) in hopes a strong boycott would lead to a drop in gas prices.

I visited a few gas stations in Shelby to see if the online boycott made any difference.

Be sure to check back later as I report my findings.

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World

There were two TV shows this season that had me hooked beginning to end. They always let me wanting more and I never missed an episode (except when the DVR didn't do its job). One was Friday Night Lights. The other was Heroes.

Great character development. Lots of suspense. Cool super powers. What's not to love?

Heroes' season finale is next Monday. Will the bomb that's been alluded to all season take out New York City? Can Hiro kill Sylar? Which side is newly-elected Congressman Nathan Petrelli on?

I'll be watching. Will you?

House Fire in Waco

The Waco Volunteer Fire Department responded to a house fire earlier this afternoon on AW Black Street, next door to Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church.

It didn't appear as though anyone was hurt in the fire. The blaze was out by the time I got there, around 3:30 p.m., but firefighters were still going through the home. Many window screens on both floors had been knocked out.

One woman outside the home was crying and was consoled by others but their voices were easily drowned out by the firefighting equipment hooked up to several of the half dozen firetrucks on the street. There didn't appear to be much damage to the outside of the home.

Attempts to contact firefighters for comment later in the afternoon were unsuccessful.