As firefighters worked furiously to put out a fire in Jasper, they made a horrifying discovery. Six large pit bulls, confined to their kennels, had perished in the blaze.
Ronnie Lamar Jones, 58, is in custody in Pickens County (Ga), for allegedly attempting to burn down the single-wide mobile home in Jasper, where he, a woman and their seven pit bulls lived. Jones was charged with arson n the first degree and aggravated cruelty to animals.
Pickens Fire and Jasper Fire were dispatched to a possible structure fire North of Jasper Sunday, August 3, around 2:30 a.m. According to Jasper Fire, a caller living on Collins Road. “Jasper Fire Engine-1 was first to arrive in the area on Twin Oaks Court and found a working fire in a single wide mobile home that was 75% involved with fire,” Shane Callahan, Pickens County Fire Marshal said. Jones was attempting to put the fire out with a garden hose when they arrived.
“Crews stretched attack lines and immediately began extinguishing the fire. One occupant was at home at the time of the fire and got out safely,” he said. ”There were several pets that unfortunately did not survive. Fire was declared extinguished approximately 4 p.m.”
Fire is actively under investigation with local and state investigators still on scene at the 5 a.m. hour. No civilian or firefighter injuries have been reported.
Jody Weaver, Chief Marshal for Pickens County, told Smoke Signals that a woman who owned the house, was living with Jones, but was not home when the fire razed her home. She was at the hospital…