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Woman dies in suspicious fire at Washington apartment complex
Police, SBI search for clues
By CHRISTINA HALE
Staff Writer
A 63-year-old woman died Friday morning in a fire at Village Circle in Washington, and city and state officials are investigating the incident as suspicious.
Because of the “questionable circumstances” of the fire, police are not releasing the woman’s identity.
“We have tentatively identified the deceased. ... But we want to be absolutely sure,” Washington Police Chief Glenn Mitchell Reed said Friday.
“Police and fire officials have yet to determine the exact nature of the fire and therefore it is being treated as suspicious,” Washington police said in a prepared statement Friday. The State Bureau of Investigation has been called to assist in the case.
Firefighters with the City of Washington Fire-Rescue-EMS-Inspections responded to apartments 311 and 312 at Village Circle around 2 a.m. Friday. Village Circle, primarily a retirement community, is off Avon Avenue in Washington.
“The first unit reported heavy fire and smoke coming out of 311,” said Washington Fire Chief Jimmy Davis.
Firefighters made entry and extinguished the fire, but were unable to make a rescue. “It was too late,” Davis said.
The adjacent duplexes were evacuated by police and fire personnel. There were no additional injuries as a result of the fire.
Asked about the origin of the fire, Davis said he could not comment because the investigation had been handed over to the police department.
“We are assisting, but they are the lead agency,” Davis said. “I was surprised the fire department could contain (the fire) to the one apartment,” Reed said, but refused to comment further, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Washington received assistance from Bunyan Volunteer Fire Department and Old Ford Volunteer Fire Department.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Washington Police Department at 946-1444 or Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at 974-6400.
By CHRISTINA HALE
Staff Writer
A 63-year-old woman died Friday morning in a fire at Village Circle in Washington, and city and state officials are investigating the incident as suspicious.
Because of the “questionable circumstances” of the fire, police are not releasing the woman’s identity.
“We have tentatively identified the deceased. ... But we want to be absolutely sure,” Washington Police Chief Glenn Mitchell Reed said Friday.
“Police and fire officials have yet to determine the exact nature of the fire and therefore it is being treated as suspicious,” Washington police said in a prepared statement Friday. The State Bureau of Investigation has been called to assist in the case.
Firefighters with the City of Washington Fire-Rescue-EMS-Inspections responded to apartments 311 and 312 at Village Circle around 2 a.m. Friday. Village Circle, primarily a retirement community, is off Avon Avenue in Washington.
“The first unit reported heavy fire and smoke coming out of 311,” said Washington Fire Chief Jimmy Davis.
Firefighters made entry and extinguished the fire, but were unable to make a rescue. “It was too late,” Davis said.
The adjacent duplexes were evacuated by police and fire personnel. There were no additional injuries as a result of the fire.
Asked about the origin of the fire, Davis said he could not comment because the investigation had been handed over to the police department.
“We are assisting, but they are the lead agency,” Davis said. “I was surprised the fire department could contain (the fire) to the one apartment,” Reed said, but refused to comment further, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Washington received assistance from Bunyan Volunteer Fire Department and Old Ford Volunteer Fire Department.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Washington Police Department at 946-1444 or Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at 974-6400.
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tunne rat wrote on Jul 6, 2009 8:55 PM:
that is the biggest propganda word that every came out of butterfields and rino jones mouth in the past hundred years .
just 2 water boys for the obama socalist party , and a hand full of red necks that dont have a clue about whast they are talking about . "