Fires continued to plague Long County last weekend when a double-wide mobile home was destroyed and two more forest fires ignited.

Sunday’s home fire on Elim Church Road shut down the road for approximately three hours as units from Liberty County assisted Long County firefighters in extinguishing the blaze.

Ludowici/Long County Fire Department Station Capt. Alex Mason said the department received a call at around 3:40 p.m. regarding a structure fire that reportedly was just outside Ludowici city limits.

Mason the first units arrived on the scene and found about 70 percent of the home engulfed in flames. Firefighters began to battle the blaze but were unable to get it under control because they were working with limited resources.

Mason said additional resources were requested and the Long State Prison fire brigade, Hinesville’s Station 2 and Gum Branch’s station 15 joined the L/LCFD in extinguishing the fire. Despite the 28 firefighters’ efforts, the home was destroyed by fire and smoke. Mason said no one was injured.   

On Monday, L/LCFD Assistant Chief Richard Truman said the homeowner, Scott Goode, was in the home taking a nap when the fire began. His wife and baby also were home. Truman said Long County resident Brian McFann was driving by when he saw the home on fire. McFann reportedly stopped and beat on Goode’s door, waking up the family. The two men attempted to put the fire out with a water hose but were unsuccessful.

Truman said the state fire marshal’s office ruled the fire accidental, citing an ashtray that ignited on the porch as the cause. The Ludowici Police Department, the Long County Sheriff’s Office and Liberty/Long County EMS also responded.

Truman said Thursday that a controlled burn on the Moody Bridge Road grew out of control and units from the L/LCFD were called in to extinguish it. On Saturday, the fire reignited and units once again were called in to extinguish it. The assistant chief was unsure how many acres were lost to the fire.

On Sunday, Truman said, a previously extinguished peat moss fire re-ignited in a wooded area on Pearl Davis Road and Arnold Drive, burning between 30-40 acres before units extinguished it.

 “These fires are killing us,” Truman said. “We are asking that people not burn anything. With the humidity up, the temperatures up and the winds up, you can get a fire anywhere and anytime.”