Published: March 18, 2009 09:12 am      

Whitley fire proves fatal

Victim of early morning blaze believed to be that of a woman; foul play not suspected

By Sean Bailey / Staff Writer

One person is dead after an early morning fire burned a mobile home to the ground on New Zion Road in Whitley County Tuesday.

The victim’s neighbor, Michelle Mays, said a few years back the victim helped Mays and her family after a blaze nearly took their home.

“She was a good person,” Mays said fighting back tears. “My trailer caught on fire about four years ago and she ran to our house ... she helped us with clothing and everything.”

Kentucky State Police Detective Colan Harrell said the remains of the victim have been sent to Frankfort to be positively identified.

Mays identifies the victim as an older woman who had lived in the trailer by herself after her husband had died some years ago.

Det. Harrell and KSP arson investigator Detective Josh Bunch are investigating the fire, but at this point no foul play is suspected.

Mays said she was awoken early Tuesday morning by a different neighbor’s screams.

“I was babysitting my (other) neighbor’s kid, and she dropped her off before she went to work,” Mays said. “She came in hollering, ‘Call 911’ and I asked her why.”

Mays said she then stepped out of her home and saw that the trailer next door was burnt almost completely to the ground. Whitley County 911 Dispatch reported that they received the call at around 6:20 a.m.

With morning work traffic readily flowing on New Zion Road, Mays wonders why no one saw the fire earlier.

“We didn’t hear nothing, we didn’t smell nothing. We are all pretty hard sleepers,” Mays said. “...traffic should have been here all morning, I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t have called 911.”

Mays fought back tears as she described her neighbor.

When she saw the fire she thought of the incident four years ago when Tuesday’s victim came to Mays family’s aid. It was in the middle of a cold winter when Mays’ home caught fire. Her family was awoken by neighbors who spotted the flames. They ran through the rainy, muddy night, and the victim of Tuesday’s fire took them in.

“She kept us warm and loaned us beds and stuff,” Mays said. “She was a good person.”

Mays offered her support to the victim’s family saying, “If they need any kind of help or anything we are willing to do anything that we possibly can.”

In addition to KSP detectives Harrell and Bunch, Whitely County Coroner Andy Croley assisted with the investigation at the scene. The Woodbine and Rockholds Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the scene.

From her yard, Mays can see the police tape surrounding her neighbor’s property. Mays says she’s grateful the fire was stopped before it reached her home, but still wishes something could have alerted her to the fire sooner.

“I’m thankful, but I just wish we could of heard something, or even been aware.” Mays said fighting tears. “Anytime you lose anybody it don’t matter how they go, it’s bad. It ain’t a good way to go.

“It’s just bad. If they (the victim’s family) need anything or support or anything, all they have to do is call.”