Morning fire guts two homes

Published 5:00 am Monday, June 2, 2003

Firefighters worked feverishly for more than four hours earlySaturday morning but were unable to save two Smith Street homesfrom fire.

Firefighters were called out at 12:37 a.m. to a house fire at223 Smith St.

Firefighters arrived to find two homes ablaze, one behind thefirst. They were on scene until nearly 5 a.m.

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There were no injuries.

Both homes were owned by Moselle Burnett. The house fronting thestreet was Burnett’s and the second home was occupied by RaymondWashington.

“The fire started in the rear of (Washington’s) home,” saidFirefighter George Faust. “It was fully involved when they arrived.The other house was 50 percent involved when they got there.”

Firefighters responded with trucks from all three stations, butwere unable to save either home.

Both were listed as a total loss.

Fortunately, Faust said, the fire was contained to only thosetwo houses and did not spread to nearby apartments owned byBurnett.

“They were also trying to keep some other apartments cool tokeep the fire from spreading,” Faust said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Faustsaid.