Police suspect arsonist caused Goldbug house fire

Arson is suspected in a Wednesday evening blaze that damaged a Goldbug area home, but thanks to the efforts of four fire departments, the home is still standing.

Firefighters were notified shortly before 8 p.m. about the fire at a two-story home on Goldbug Church Road.
3-Point Volunteer Fire Department Chief Gary Crusenberry said that the fire apparently started in the living room area and that there were several points in the living room where someone apparently unsuccessfully tried to start a fire.

The first firefighters arrived at the scene at 7:58 p.m. about 10 minutes after they were paged out, and contained the fire damage to the living room, front porch area and part of the second story that was directly above the living room, Crusenberry said.

The rest of the home sustained smoke and water damage.

The Kentucky Fire Marshal’s Office was called in to help determine a cause and origin of the blaze, but Crusenberry said

Thursday afternoon that so far he hasn’t received a report from the office.

Local arson investigators Rick Fore and Mike Parks investigated the blaze Thursday.

Although no signs of accelerants have been found so far, Crusenberry said samples were taken, which will be sent to the Kentucky State Police Crime Lab for further testing.

So far authorities have no suspects. The homeowner lived in Texas, and no one was home or believed to have been living there when the fire started.

About two-dozen firefighters from 3-Point, Woodbine, Emlyn and Williamsburg fire departments were on the scene until about 10:50 p.m. Wednesday.

In January, another fire struck the home when someone was attempting to deep fry turkeys in the utility room off the back porch.
Crusenberry said that the January fire was contained largely to the back porch and utility room area.

The back porch had been repaired when firefighters responded to the scene Wednesday, but the utility room still had some damage.

So far Kentucky State Police arson investigators haven’t been contacted.