HOUSE FIRES

Jasper County firefighters have been busy during the last week, responding to three structure fires and a stove fire over three days.

The first call was last Thursday morning, about 1 a.m. when firefighters were called to Bragg Road and the call was a shed/living quarters was on fire. The building was a total loss, said Fire Chief Jarret Slocumb, but nobody was injured. Firefighters from Stations 5, Piedmont; Station 2, Shady Dale; Station 3, Monticello, and Station 4, Hillsboro responded. They had to return to the fire on Friday as it rekindled in one small area.

Then, about 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, firefighters were called to a home on Nuthatch Drive in Turtle Cove (bottom photo). They were unable to save the structure, but had the fire out and were back in service around midnight. No one was injured. Firefighters from stations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, North Alcovy, responded, as well as units from Newton County.

On Saturday morning, at 6:47 a.m. firefighters were dispatched to home fire on Sprayberry Circle (top photo), with an elderly woman inside. Laverne Sprayberry died in the fire, and the home was a total loss. Firefighters said the home was in flames when they arrived, 12 minutes after being dispatched. They made entry to the home, but were unable to rescue the occupant. A family member was burned trying to save Mrs. Sprayberry. Stations 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 responded to that call.

Finally, on Saturday night, firefighters responded to a call of a stove fire. The deputy who arrived first was able to extinguish the blaze with the homeowner’s fire extinguisher. However, she was taken to a Macon hospital for injuries sustained in the fire. Apparently she tried to carry the burning pot out the door, and was burned in the process.