Suspicious fires under investigation in Tyler County

TYLER COUNTY - by Steve Stewart/KJAS - Investigators in Tyler County are looking at a pair of house fires that occurred three months apart, but only 150 feet away from each other.

Dam B Fire Department Chief Thomas Eller said the latest blaze occurred on Friday evening in an old, run-down mobile home on County Road 4410, in an area known as Barlow Lake Estates. According to Ellis, the vacant house was completely engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.

Friday’s incident followed an August 27th blaze at an adjacent residence, involving two mobile homes that were connected together. Those houses were also vacant and were completely destroyed.

At the time, the first fire was thought to have been sparked by lightning from a passing thunderstorm, but now investigators are taking a second look.

Chief Ellis pointed out that neither house had electricity, and that area has experienced problems with methamphetamine manufacturing operations in recent years.