11/02/09 - Hardin County

By: Mallory Cooke
mcooke@wbbjtv.com
7:00 p.m.
 
Fire investigators in Hardin County say someone set three vacation homes on fire late Saturday night. No one was injured, but now owners want answers.
 
Donnie Kirk brought his family to a camping spot near the Tennessee River nearly every weekend. They have been regulars for about 15 years. "We come over and bring our boat and spend the weekends camping. It is usually from Friday until Sunday," said Kirk.
 
On Saturday night around 11:00 p.m., the Kirk camper and two others burst into flames. "Some of the structural walls are still there, but it is completely gutted. They are all a total loss," said Kirk.
 
Fire officials suspect someone set the blaze intentionally. "We have ruled out any other causes. There was not any other cause that could have started it," said Hardin County Fire Chief Melvin Martin.
 
Martin believes the fire came as a result of a robbery gone wrong. "One of the mobile trailers looked like it had been moved," said Martin. Investigators do not know how the fire started.
 
Fire officials said the blaze started in one of the campers, then quickly spread and worked its way to the other two homes.
 
Kirk estimated the total cost to replace everything comes to about $100,000. Kirk surveyed the damage on Monday and began to pick up the pieces. "I cannot image why there are people like that in this world, or why people are allowed to do such things. But for whatever reason, I guess they are put here to make us stronger," he said.
 
The Kirk family has insurance, so they are considering getting another camper in the future, but next time they might put up a fence to help keep people out.