Dec. 27—Authorities are investigating two fires at the same Sheldon house over a span of four days that are now under investigation. The second fire, which came on Christmas Eve, left the house a total loss.
Both fires are considered suspicious, said Chief Buddy Jones of the Sheldon Fire District Friday morning.
The house, located on Cuthbert Farm Road in Sheldon northwest of Beaufort, was destroyed by the second blaze, which was reported at 7:58 p.m. Tuesday, Jones said.
“It’s still standing but the whole roof has gone out of it,” Jones said. “It burnt the whole interior.”
Flames were shooting 25 feet from the roof when the first fire truck arrived on the scene, Jones said. The Sheldon Fire District fire hall is located a half-mile away from the house.
Firefighters were called to the same property four days earlier, at 10:57 p.m. Dec. 20, Jones said, when a fire was reported in the laundry area.
Compared to the Christmas Eve fire, the first blaze caused minor damage, Jones said. But fire officials considered the fire suspicious, and arson dog from Burton was brought in to sniff through the aftermath of the fire. The dog, Jones said, “hit on a few spots.”
When the second fire was reported four days later, details of the first blaze already had been turned over to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office for investigation, Jones said.
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The American Red Cross said it was assisting two people with financial assistance for immediate needs such as food, clothing and shelter.
This story was originally published December 27, 2024, 9:41 AM.
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