A fire destroyed two structures and charred upwards of 10 acres of woodland on Friday in Northwestern Alexander County.
The Alexander County Ranger with the North Carolina Forest Service, David Huffman says the fire was off Gus Pennell Lane in the Ellendale Community.
Ellendale, Bethlehem, Hiddenite, Taylorsville and Sugar Loaf Fire Departments all responded as well as at least one department from Caldwell County following the initial call around 2:11 pm. A NC Forest Service plane and helicopter were also deployed to the scene.
The fire started in an detached garage structure and spread to an abandoned home that had been vacated for a number of years. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Alexander County Fire Marshall’s Office.
The steep terrain made containment of the fire very difficult for firefighters. Some units were on the scene until around midnight.
More to come…