Wendy Byerly Wood

Associate Editor

A Mount Airy man lost his home and most of his belongings Friday morning after a blaze broke out in a wall and quickly spread throughout his house.

Craig Atkins, of 2848 S. Main St., wasn’t home when the fire started shortly before 9 a.m., said Surry County Fire Investigator Jason Burkholder, who also served as the officer in charge of the scene since he is an assistant chief with primary department responding, Bannertown Volunteer Fire Department.

The cause of the accidental fire, Burkholder said, was determined to be a wood stove in the home, which led to a fire in the wall behind or near the chimney of the stove. The blaze quickly spread, and flames and heavy smoke could be seen rolling out the back windows of the house from U.S. 52, which runs adjacent to the home’s property between Holly Springs Church Road and the South Main interchange with 52.

Firefighters received the call at 8:43 a.m. and were on the scene in eight minutes. They cleared the scene at 12:30 p.m.

The structure served as the homeplace for Atkins’ father, and Atkins purchased it more than a decade ago following his grandmother’s ownership of the residence.

Burkholder didn’t have a damage estimate, but said the house was a total loss. Additionally, a classic Ford Mustang and a Toyota Tacoma both suffered heat damage due to being parked close to the home.

Atkins has insurance, and declined assistance from the American Red Cross telling volunteers with the organization to save the money for someone who really needs it.

One firefighter, Ryan Hooker of Franklin Volunteer Fire Department, suffered a laceration to a finger in his left hand and was treated on the scene by Surry County EMS.

Responding to the fire were firefighters from Bannertown Volunteer Fire Department, Four Way Volunteer Fire Department and Franklin Volunteer Fire Department as well as members of the Mount Airy Rescue Squad and Surry County EMS.

Contact Wendy Byerly Wood at wbyerly-wood@mtairynews.com or 719-1923.