Arsonist finally finishes off rural Goldbug home

A suspected arsonist in the Ryan’s Creek area of Whitley County appears to be following the old adage of if at first you don’t succeed, try try again

For the second time in five days, Goldbug Volunteer firefighters responded Sunday to a structure fire at 100 Buck’s Branch Road only to find the home fully engulfed in flames.

"It pretty much burnt to the ground the second time," said Goldbug Fire Chief Dorman Patrick Jr. "There is arson definitely suspected. With its suspicious circumstances, things just don’t add up."

Kentucky State Police arson investigators have been notified regarding both fires at the residence.

About 10:46 p.m. on March 14, the Goldbug Volunteer Fire Department responded to a structure fire at the property, which is owned by Margie Baird.

When fire crews arrived, they found a single story structure with minimal fire involvement, which was quickly extinguished.

Prior to the 911 call, a suspicious vehicle was reported leaving the area, Patrick said.

"Upon investigation the fire had a suspicious origin and was referred to the Kentucky State Police post 11 for arson investigation," Patrick noted.

A total of three fire engines and 25 firefighters responded to the scene the first time.

Emlyn and South McCreary volunteer fire departments also assisted Goldbug at the scene.

Fire crews returned to the scene about 9:36 a.m. Sunday.

Patrick said that this time the fire appeared to have been burning for several minutes prior to it being reported, and that it’s rural location meant a 15 – 20 minute response time for the fire department.

When the two Goldbug fire trucks and 10 Goldbug firefighters arrived at the scene Sunday, the building was fully engulfed in flames, and one wall had already been destroyed.

Patrick said firefighters concentrated efforts on keeping the fire from spreading elsewhere since the building was already badly damaged.

Firefighters aren’t sure what the motive behind setting the fires would have been. No one was home, and no one had lived in the home for three to four months.

The structure was in a remote portion of the county where the nearest neighbor was probably one to two miles away, Patrick said.

"We’re really not for sure what the motive of it is or the circumstances around it, but it is definitely suspicious in origin," he said.
Although there is no way of confirming it, Patrick said that given the circumstances he wouldn’t doubt that the same person set both fires.

He said arson investigators are following up on leads in the case.