Arson Suspected in Northeast Arkansas Fire
By: Eli Ross, ABC24 - Memphis
Updated: December 14, 2012
State investigators are looking into a northeast Arkansas fire.
It broke out Tuesday in Joiner (Mississippi County), destroying a church, a laundromat, and damaging the town's police station.
"It looked like half of Joiner was burning," said witness Brenda Edangs. "I come out I saw smoke, came back in looked like all that up there was on fire."
The fire was reported at about 5:30 in the morning. Mayor Sissia Winford-Ross said it appears the fire started in the church, and spread to the laundromat.
"Upset a lot of folks here in the town, it is upsetting me as Mayor," she said.
The mayor says it appears a fire wall prevented the blaze from wiping away the police station. She said it suffered water and fire damage.
On Tuesday evening, the building was still smoldering.
"Another loss, I mean we have lost enough, but that's just some of the old buildings," Edangs said.
"I am hoping it may be electrical wiring or something," said Mayor Winford-Ross. "I would hate to know that there was actually an arson fire in our town."
She says arson is a possible cause since the fire appears to have started in the church, which did not have working utilities.
"That upsets us all when things like that happen. We don't know who possibly could do something like that. Not here in our town," the mayor said.
Click here to watch this report.
It broke out Tuesday in Joiner (Mississippi County), destroying a church, a laundromat, and damaging the town's police station.
"It looked like half of Joiner was burning," said witness Brenda Edangs. "I come out I saw smoke, came back in looked like all that up there was on fire."
The fire was reported at about 5:30 in the morning. Mayor Sissia Winford-Ross said it appears the fire started in the church, and spread to the laundromat.
"Upset a lot of folks here in the town, it is upsetting me as Mayor," she said.
The mayor says it appears a fire wall prevented the blaze from wiping away the police station. She said it suffered water and fire damage.
On Tuesday evening, the building was still smoldering.
"Another loss, I mean we have lost enough, but that's just some of the old buildings," Edangs said.
"I am hoping it may be electrical wiring or something," said Mayor Winford-Ross. "I would hate to know that there was actually an arson fire in our town."
She says arson is a possible cause since the fire appears to have started in the church, which did not have working utilities.
"That upsets us all when things like that happen. We don't know who possibly could do something like that. Not here in our town," the mayor said.
Click here to watch this report.
