July 26, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
A midnight fire Friday gutted a home under renovation downtown Smithville.
The home, owned by Mitch Hodge, is located on West Webb Street near the public square.
Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker said the fire was reported to E911 dispatchers at 11:40 p.m. by a passerby who spotted smoke coming from the home which was unoccupied at the time.
The Smithville Fire Department sprang into action accompanied by officers with the Smithville Police Department, and DeKalb EMS. A crew from Smithville Electric System also responded to cut power to the house.
When firefighters arrived, flames were coming out of the windows of the home and the blaze had spread to the second floor and attic. Firefighters worked to contain the fire, keeping it from spreading to other areas. The house and all of its contents were thought to be a total loss.
Chief Parker said it appears the fire started in a front room on the first floor of the home but the cause has not been determined. No one was injured.