Aberdeen fire caused by equipment malfunction now contained

A wildfire that spread 20-25 acres in Hoke county has now been contained.

Aberdeen Fire Chief Phillip Richardson told WRAL that a malfunction with an ATV caused a fire that quickly spread due to high wind and dry conditions.

The fire comes days after a burn ban was issued across the state by the NC Forest Service due to dangerous fire conditions.  

Multiple agencies were sent to an outside fire around 12:24 p.m. off of NC Highway 211, east of Aberdeen. When firefighters arrived, they found the fire was moving fast.

Several fire departments responded to the fire, including Aberdeen Fire & Rescue, Southern Pines Fire & Rescue, Pinebluff Fire & Rescue, Moore County Sheriff's Office and NC Forest Service.

According to firefighters on scene, much of the fire was inaccessible due to a railroad and swampy areas. Crews had to bring a bulldozer in to access the spots.

NC Forest Service was also on the ground and in the air with a spotter plane to monitor and direct ground crews.

No injuries or structure damage was reported from the fire, but sixteen horses from a nearby farm were relocated due to an abundance of caution.

According to Chief Richardson, residents can expect to see smoke in the air for the next couple of days and should call 911 if they see flames.