By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
ROBERDEL — Northside Volunteer Fire Department firefighters were just returning to their Northside Drive station from Fire Prevention Day on Saturday in Rockingham when the alarm sounded.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
The emergency call for help came in at 3:14 p.m. Lucky for the homeowner, it took firefighters only seconds to arrive at 136 Bear Branch Road to extinguish the blaze inside the metal storage shed.
Firefighters from Northside and Ellerbe responded to the scene, as did the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. It appeared that neighbor Keith Tanner had stored the homeowner’s Troy-Bilt riding lawnmower in the structure while it was still hot. The mower was parked next to cardboard.
Tanner said he’d recently finished mowing the lawn and noticed the smoke as he left his home and was headed to the store. Chief Edward Causey kicked in the door to the structure. An unidentified firefighter hopped into the driver’s seat of the 2002 Kia Sedona van parked inside and moved it out. The homeowner lamented the likely loss, saying the van had only 20,000 miles on it.
Tanner looked on as firefighters removed the mower and other debris. While the van might be salvageable, the mower was a goner. Tanner said the homeowner had insurance.
“I’m upset with myself more than anything,” he said in an incident in which no one was injured.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
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