Flames engulf abandoned house which has been the source of many ‘suspicious activity’ calls

By Rex Hodge

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    HAYWOOD COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — Fire destroyed an abandoned Haywood County home near Canton Friday morning, Dec. 1, and authorities say it’s not the first time they’ve been called there.

At about 9 a.m. Friday, several fire departments responded to the house fire at 64 Country Road in the Beaverdam community just outside Canton.

All the activity caught the attention of neighbor Neal Seavey.

“Sitting in the computer room paying some bills, and I looked out the window and I thought it was fog that rolled in,” Seavey explained. “I thought I’m not so sure it’s fog. Went back to what I was doing, heard sirens come out, and fire, again, this time a little worse.”

Haywood County Sheriff’s Office said despite the property being an abandoned house, deputies have responded half a dozen times to the home in the last year for a couple suspicious activity calls, an illegal burn, a noise complaint and a welfare check.

“The whole time there’s constant activity at that house. — sheriff’s department, ambulance, fire department. I’m kind of surprised this stuff hasn’t already happened,” Seavey said. “There’s already been a couple of fires there. It’s kind of unnerving to live right beside this.” Investigators said no one was inside the house. There’s no word yet on how the fire started.

Several fire departments from both Haywood and Buncombe counties responded to the fire, bringing in tankers along steep, narrow roads to continue dousing the flames. Even an excavator was brought in to knock down what remained of the structure.

Neal Seavey said he hopes for peace and quiet once all the dust settles.

The house fire remains under investigation by the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office.

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