The Johnston County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed an abandoned home Sunday morning.
A nearby resident called 911 after seeing heavy smoke in a wooded area on Whittington Road. The West Johnston Fire Department arrived on the scene and found a vacant house at 420 Whittington Road, well of the roadway, fully engulfed in flames. The fire also spread to an adjacent shed.
The 1,200 square foot home and the shed were both deemed total losses according to Assistant Fire Marshal Banks Wallace. Wallace said there was no power to the structure. Investigators have not ruled out someone trespassing inside the home trying to keep warm may have started the fire.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office is assisting the Fire Marshal’s Office with the investigation.
Anyone with information about the blaze is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 919-989-5000.
