Members of the Alleghany Rescue Squad, Alleghany Emergency Medical Sparta Fire Chief Terry McGrady checks behind shingles at Trojan Village for hot spots. Damage was minor to the outside of the building.'

Local fire departments respond to three structure fire calls

In about week's time, members of local volunteer fire departments responded to three structure fire calls in the county. Two of the fires were in the Sparta Fire District and one was in the Glade Creek District.

While structure fire calls usually result in serious damage to homes and businesses, none of the three recent calls resulted in major damage.

Trojan Village

On Sunday night, someone saw smoke at Trojan Village Shopping Center and reported a possible structure fire.

The Sparta-Alleghany Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the scene between 9 and 9:30 p.m.

The call turned out to be an electrical short in a light on the facade on the outside of the building and not a structure fire. "A light shorted out and it burnt some shingles off the outside, maybe five shingles," said Chief Terry McGrady.

Upon arrival of the 12 members and two trucks, "The fire was out when we got there, there was some smoke but no flame," said McGrady. The shingles were located on top of the roof in front of The Fashion Zone (near Jerg's Patio).

Shopping center owner D.W. Miles commented Monday that only very minor damage was sustained to the outside of the building and there was no internal damage at all. Some rumors had flames coming through the roof of the shopping center, but there was no truth to those, said Miles.

"It was a good response by everyone that was there," he said. "That helped keep the fire from doing more damage than it did."

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