Saturday Night Fire
Destroys Vines St SE Home

Firefighters attempt to enter a burning home at 831 Vines Street SE Saturday night. The firefighters had to pull back due to the flames. Arab Today photo by Dwight Hayes

The home was already fully involved when noticed by a neighbor. Arab Today photo by Dwight Hayes

Firefighters from several surrounding volunteer departments assisted the Arab Fire Department in fighting the blaze. Firefighters were hampered by the lack of an accessible fire hydrant. Tankers were used to relay water to the blaze. Arab Today photo by Dwight Hayes

Arab firefighter Adam Thrower was briefly overcome by heat exhaustion while fighting the fire. He was treated by Arab Fire Department medics. He later returned to the scene. Arab Today photo by Dwight Hayes

Saturday, March 17, 2012
An early evening fire totally destroyed a home in Arab Saturday night. Firefighters were called to the blaze around 8:30 pm. The home, located several hundred feet off of Vines Street SE, was already fully involved when discovered by a neighbor. No one was at home at the time of the fire. The owner, Keith Maroney, who lives alone, had gone out to dinner and to do some shopping about 4 hours before the fire was discovered.

The home was located some distance off the main road causing fire fighters to have to transport water by tankers from a nearby fire hydrant. Personnel and equipment from Ruth VFD, 4-C VFD, and Joppa VFD, assisted the Arab Fire Department in fighting the fire and trucking water to the scene.

There were no pets in the home. No one was injured in the blaze although one Arab firefighter was treated at the scene briefly for heat exhaustion. He later returned to duty.

The home was insured according to Maroney. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and is under investigation.