By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Atmore firefighters responded over the past week to a pair of fires, each of which included aspects that fall outside the realm of the normal fire department response.
The first happened shortly after 3 a.m. on Friday, July 5. Firefighters arrived at a Sunset Drive home to discover that the homeowner’s dog had knocked over a Tiki torch in the yard of the home.
The fallen torch ignited a corner of the house, but little damage was done before the fire gained a foothold. AFD Capt. Daniel Love reported that only 200 gallons of water were required to bring the situation under control.
“The damage was minor,” Fire Chief Ron Peebles said. “I don’t think it even made it to the interior of the house before we had it out.”
The second incident happened Monday, July 8, at Swift Mill, where a piece of equipment had caught fire.
Firefighters arrived at the mill property to find a log loader “fully engulfed in flames.”
Peebles said lumber yard employees had been cleaning burnt ash from the mill’s boilers, and apparently some embers remained. They ignited, quickly spreading across the piece of equipment.
According to AFD reports, the loader — which employees said was “about six months old” and worth “probably around $80,000” — was a total loss.