Monticello Live

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In a shocking turn of events, the City Council voted yes to building a new fire station on the W.C. Whaley lot. During Thursday night’s meeting Mayor Allen Maxwell asked MEDC Executive Director Nita McDaniel to present the slide show to the Council that was shown to the public during the ISO Rating Meeting (posted below).

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Around 6 am, Saturday morning, Monticello Police and Fire Depts.were dispatched to a home on North Hyatt, where a large tree had reportedly fallen across a home, with an occupant inside.

According to sources, the lady narrowly escaped injury, and was able to be removed from the residence, and was at a neighbors home.

The residents of  this Rose Street home awoke to smoke and flames, Sunday morning, around 2:20 am, from a fire the reportedly began in the kitchen area of the house.

A couple and a son were asleep in the home, at the time of the fire, but were able to escape, saving only a few personal items, as the flames engulfed the structure, with the fire dept. quickly  arriving.

The man inside the home told MonticelloLive how the refrigerator seemed to “explode” as the flames came close to it.

No one was injured, but the home seems to be a total loss.

A Montongo home was destroyed by fire, Monday morning.  The Monticello Fire Dept. responded to the call around 3:30 am, when the fire had burned through the roof of the structure.  The fire was extinguished, but “hot spots” rekindled, and firefighters were called back to the scene around 8 am.

The home was vacant at the time of the fire.   A family had recently moved out of the home.

During Monday night’s Quorum Court meeting, the Court passed a resolution allowing Judge Damon Lampkin to apply for a grant under the Arkansas Rural Community Grant Programs on behalf of Rock Springs Community’s fire department.

The grant is for $7,802.60 and would be used to build an additional bay onto their fire station for the purpose of housing a water shuttle tanker truck.

The County would not be responsible to provide any funding to the Clear Creek Fire Department.

Around 10:30, Monday night, the Monticello Fire Dept. was called out to the report of a fire on a trailer loaded with hay.

When they arrived, they were able to extinguish the fire, which was likely caused by the trailer’s wheel bearings, before it spread to the 17 bales of hay that where loaded on the trailer.

Recently during Fire Prevention week, Firemen Michael Barnett and Bobby Sawyer visited the Drew Central 4th graders at the elementary school.

The Firemen spoke with the children about ways to prevent fires, and then the students were allowed to explore the fire and rescue trucks.

During Monday night’s regular meeting, the Court approved a resolution to apply for a grant on behalf of the Collins Community Fire Department to help them build a new fire station. The grant is for $50,000.

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Around 12:30 Sunday afternoon, the Monticello Fire Dept. responded to the report to a mobile home fire in the Koala Bear Trailer Park on Scott Street.

The resident of the trailer, Eric Burton Bell, attempted to get close to or enter the burning structure while firefighters were still battling the blaze and was arrested by MPD.  Bell was charged with Disorderly Conduct, Obstructing Governmental Operations, Possession of Controlled Substance, and Resisting Arrest.

The cause of the fire was undetermined, but it appears that most of the damage was done in the living room / kitchen area of the trailer.

Another local resident was arrested after she set her own trailer on fire, and assaulted a family member, earlier this month.

Monticello Lions Club awarded Fireman of the Year to Bobby Ray Sawyer at their meeting at Western Sizzlin.

Shown are John Bullock, President, awarding Bobby Ray Sawyer, Fireman of Year. Looking on are fellow firemen Fire Chief Steven Faulkner, Shawn Maloney, David Bayird, Tommy Forrest, and Jack Thiele.

A Monticello woman was arrested Friday, around noon, after MPD responded to a call reporting that she had attacked a local beautician.  The woman was charged with battery, and bonded out of jail, upon being taken to the County Detention Facility.

But that wasn’t the only time she was arrested, that day.

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Around 10:15, Sunday night, the Monticello Fire & Police Depts. were called out to a house fire on Godbold Street.

Accordeing to reports, when the home’s occupants opened a bedroom door, they found a bed on fire.  The fire seems to have been started by clothes near a lamp.  The fire soon spread to the mattresses.

No one was injured.  SEEMS and MASI responded, in case their medical services were needed.

According to someone at the scene of this house fire on North Boyd Street, the family had been grilling when this fire got out of control, spreading to the carport, then to the ceiling area of the home.

911 calls reporting the blaze came into MPD dispatch , just minutes after 6 pm, Saturday night.

The fire dept. arrived 2 minutes after the call was paged out, and the fire was already at the level shown above, as  they arrived.

According to Drew County Judge Damon Lampkin, the burn ban issued for Drew County has been lifted, following the recent series of thunderstorms that have brought rain to Drew County, over the past weeks.

Judge Lampkin reminds everyone to use caution, as drier conditions are expected to return during the upcoming week, and recommends residents use caution when burning any items.

The Monticello Fire Dept. responded to an emergency call reporting this mobile home fire on Mill St., around 10 pm, Friday night.

The home was reportedly engulfed in flames, wten the call was made.

The residence was being used for family storage, by a family who lives nearby.

This structure on South Boyd Street caught fire Saturday night, around 11 pm.and then re-ignited early Sunday morning.  The Monticello Fire Dept. was again called to the 3 apartment dwelling Sunday afternoon.

The fire reportedly began in the center apartment, which sustained major damage; the other 2 apartments also suffered smoke and water damage.

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Drew County seems to be continuing it’s hot, dry weather pattern for several more days week. According to Mark Cater of Seark Weather Buzz, Monticello’s average daily temperatures for June are averaging 8.4 degrees above normal.  The forecast calls for a 50% chance of rain, but not until Wednesday.

These higher temps, combined with the lack of rain, are increasing the chance of forest fires in our area, as indicated by Saturday’s forest fire, which started with a small burned area in a road ditch on HWY 35 West, near Rock Springs, and due to a strong wind, moved into a line of trees and brush. (more…)

Arkansas Forestry Commission dozer crews from Ashley, Bradley, Drew and Lincoln Counties worked to contain a wildfire approximately 10 miles southwest of Monticello, near Greenhill Road, Saturday.

The fire burned an estimated total of more than 60 acres, with flame heights as high as 50 feet. Windy conditions made containment difficult.

Local fire departments also battled the blaze.

We all know what they say about “Arkansas weather”, “If you don’t like it, wait a week, and it will change.”

With that being said, a RIVER FLOOD WARNING has been issued for the Saline River area near Rye.  River traffic on the Mississippi River is being changed due to expected floods. Even levees on the Arkansas River have been closed.

Over 2 inches of rain is possible in the 36 hours, based on the current forecast from NOAA.

Please keep track of current weather conditions on MonticelloLive, KHBM, and area television stations.

Too much rain is a big change from our recent dry spell, which kept firefighting crews on alert, and battling blazes more then most folks realize.

During April there were at least 4 forest fires that threatened to cause major damage in Drew County.

On April 3, approximately 80 acres burned between Old Troy Road and Old Dermott Road.  4 trucks, 2 dozers, and at least 3 planes were used in the battle against the raging fire.  Monticello Fire Dept. and the Arkansas Forestry Commission battled that blaze for several hours.  Some Monticello Fire crews were pulled away to battle the Curry Pest Control fire.

As that fire was being contained, AFC crews were dispatched to a fire in Wilmar that had gotten into the woods on the south end of town.

The Arkansas Forestry Commission was also called to a fire on April 15, on Prairie Chapel Cemetery Road, which burned around the 1852 cemetery. The fire, supported by strong winds burned several acres, before being extinguished.  Ironically, the fire was reported duringthe groundbreaking ceremony of the UAM Forestry Annex.  Lacey-Ladelle, Greenhill, and Valley Fire Depts. also responded.

During the middle of the next (very dry) week, AFC firefighters were called to another wind-blown fire on Hoover Lane, off of HWY 293.  3 dozers and 1 plane brought that blaze, which burned an estimated 16 acres, under control.  Selma, Winchester, and Tillar Fire Depts. also responded.

It has been a busy morning for Monticello Emergency personnel.

Around 7 am, the Fire Dept. was called to battle a fire inside of a kiln at Price Lumber.

At 11 am fire crews were still on hand, maintaining control of the burning wood, as it was removed from the kiln.

Around 10 am, MPD, SEEMS, Dan’s Wrecker, and C&L Towing responded to a 2 vehicle crash in from on McDonald’s on HWY 425, where a Toyota Avalon reportedly pulled out of Chapman Drive into the path of a northbound Pontiac.

Soon afterwards, several Monticello firefighters were called away from the Price fire, to extinguish a stove fire at Turtle Creek Apts.on West Oakland St.

Around 8 pm Saturday night, Monticello Police dispatch received a call reporting a vehicle, without a specific location, with a man trapped inside.  No other information was given, except that it was in the area of Connie Veazey Rd., near HWY 172.

Monticello Fire & Rescue, Drew County Sheriff’s deputies, SEEMS, a local constable and some neighbors from the area began searching for the vehicle, but could not find in on the roadway. (more…)

Monticello Fire Dept., along with 3 other fires, Sunday, were called to the site of a fire at Curry’s Pest Control, on N. Hyatt Street.

The building, along with the 3 pick-up trucks inside received major damage.  One of the truck was backed out of the building, after the fire was brought under control.

A strong chemical smell could be detected for several hundred yards away from the burning structure.

A possible cause of the fire, currently being considered, is a nearby brush/leaf fire.

Top photo courtesy of Robert Crawford.

Around noon, Thursday, the Monticello Fire Dept. responded to  the scene of a house fire, on West Jackson Street, next door to the senior retirement complex, next to South Hyatt Street.

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Around 2 pm, Tuesday, a call reporting a grass fire on Bordeaux Road, near Dead Man’s Curve on HWY 278 East turned out to be much more than just a grass fire.

Crews from Monticello and Selma Fire Depts. responded, as well as the Arkansas Forestry Dept..

The fire burned a large field, and got into timberland, located near a home, which was protected by firefighters.

AFC fire plows, along with at least one plane were soon able to bring the blaze under control.

This past June at the Arkansas State Firefigthers and Fire Chiefs State Convention, held in Hot Springs, retired Deputy Fire Chief Ray A. Dunemn was posthumously inducted into the Arkansas Firefighters Hall of Fame.

Thursday, January 27, at the Southeast Arkansas Firefighters Association meeting held at the Monticello Fire Training Center, retired Fire Chief Raymond Chisom presented Ray’s Hall of Fame plaque to his widow, Hilda Dunemn and daughter, Cindy Dunemn Frazier. 

Deputy Chief Dunemn served 20 years on the Monticello Fire Department. In 1989 he was the Lions Club Fireman of the Year. Ray lost his battle with cancer on February 17, 2010.

Around 8:30, this morning, the Monticello Fire Dept responded to the report of a shop building on fire near the corner of Jackson and Cherry Streets.  The cause of the fire is undetermined, at this time.

MFD also responded to a house fire on South Pine Street, Wednesday night, around 8 pm.  The fire reportedly began, and was contained, to the restroom area of the home.

One family member was transported to DMH by SEEMS for smoke inhalation.

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A 74 year old Monticello man lost his life Monday morning, during a house fire at his home on HWY 425 North.

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Act 833 of 1991 will provided approximately $63, 129  to Drew County, to be divided up between the county’s fire dept.  (more…)

Several families took the time away from work and school to burn leaves, and were reminded about some of the hazards involved.

A gust of wind can spread the fire faster and farther than you meant for it to go, and smoke can easily block the vision of drivers passing by.

The Monticello Fire Dept.was called to a fire at the Turtle Creek Apartments on Oakland St., around 5 pm, Thursday.

The blaze began in the kitchen area of unit #5, and destroyed the apartment.

The fire burned through the ceiling, causing major damage to #10 above the bottom apartment.

The fire was put out around 7 pm.

Later that night, around 10:30, several 911 calls reported that the fire was blazing again.

When firefighters arrived, the flames were rising high above the roof of 2 story structure.

The cause of the second fire in under investigation, since the first fire was complete extinguished

A fire was reported at the Sadie Johnson Community Center in Jordan Park around 5 o’clock Saturday afternoon.

The Monticello Fire Dept. responded, but flames had already burned through the north rear wall and roof of the building when they arrived. (more…)

Around 3 pm, Friday afternoon, a grass fire in a field at the end of Old Troy Road crossed into a nearby forest, and started a major forest fire, southeast of Monticello.  The fire, according to Sheriff Mark Gober, was likely started by a downed power line.

An early estimate from someone at the scene indicates that around 200 acres of timberland were destroyed.

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