Wayne County Fire Consumes Barn as Dry Conditions Prevail

PIKEVILLE, N.C. — Dry conditions across the state mean an early start to wild fires. Dozens have already burned this week, and more flames were eating up acreage Thursday.

One fire in Wayne County began near a home and cost one family a barn full of antiques, and the destruction might be due to one mistake.

Firefighters scrambled to hose down a large storage barn near Pikesville. The flames were just a few feet from the owner's home, and the wind was not helping.

“It’s against us. The wind is blowing everywhere, transferring the heat to both barns, both houses,” Willie Person, Pikeville assistant fire chief, said.

The fire was also dangerously close to neighbors’ homes.

“Very, very depressing, very depressing,” Arlie Ferrell said.

“I had to go through a roadblock because they said no one could come down here, but I had to get home,” Ferrell said.

Firefighters were able to save all the homes, but the barn was lost. It was filled with antiques, including two vintage cars.

The owners were supposed to move in three weeks. They said they burned trash in the morning, but fire was out before they left.

Investigators said they did not know exactly how the grass fire began, but they are looking into the trash fire.