State fire marshal to study recent New London fires

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

NEW LONDON ? The state fire marshal will be in New London today to investigate two recent residential fires in the community, according to Brad Helmerson, New London fire chief.

?We haven?t really determined anything on either fire,? Helmerson said. ?We are meeting with the fire marshal to help us investigate it (fires).?

New London?s first residential fire was at 107 E. Cleveland St. on Jan. 13, and the second one occurred Jan. 23 at 103 N. Pine St.

Nobody was home at either residence when the fire occurred. Helmerson said the house on East Cleveland was owner occupied and the house on North Pine was a rental.

There was extensive damage to both homes, he said. ?In the first fire (Jan. 13), the residence was pretty much gutted. In the second one, a couple of bedrooms were heavily damaged.?

A dog was rescued from the second residence and there were no pets in the first home fire, Helmerson remarked.

He said he doesn?t know where the fire started in either residence and the cause for each has not been determined.

Helmerson said he did not think the fires were related.

In the Jan. 23 fire, the New London Fire Department received mutual aid from the Mt. Pleasant and Danville fire departments.