Rodger Inman spent Friday at a campsite on Devil’s Creek, returning home to find what was left of his house lying on the ground in ashes.
Inman said he had left his house at 445 Miller Hollow Road about 7:30 that morning. He returned home that afternoon intending to get his horses and return to the campsite.
Instead, he was greeted with the fire to which Woodbine Firefighters were dispatched. Before firefighter arrived, Inman called Whitley dispatchers, telling them the structure had collapsed in on itself.
“It was just about paid off,” Inman said as he watched firefighters dig through the remains to extinguish the remaining hotspots.
Inman said he was home the entire night and did not know what may have sparked the fire.
Woodbine Fire Chief Rick Fore said because the house was essentially destroyed by the fire, it is impossible to determine where and what may have started it.
“There was nothing out of the ordinary,” Fore said when asked if arson was a possibility.
Inman said along with the home, he lost everything he owned. As to where he could stay, he said he has an old trailer on the property that he could use, but that it doesn’t have any furniture.
Woodbine Firefighters said anyone that would like to help Inman may contact the fire department. The department’s email is woodbinefiredept@gmail.com.
