Monticello Live

Around 2 pm, the Monticello Fire Dept. was paged out to the report of a fire at this HWY 425 home.

Upon arrival, they were able to locate the fire, and contain it to the area of a ventilation fan motor.

The keyholder for the property complimented the Fire Dept. for their quick response and their ability to limit contain minor damage to only one room.

As dry conditions continue statewide, 3 woods fires have been reporteed in Drew County since Monday afternoon.

(more…)

MLive spoke to Drew County Judge Robert Akin, Tuesday afternoon, about the possiblity of a countywide Burn Ban being issued.

(more…)

The Monticello Fire Dept. responded to the report of a structure fire on Bowser Road, around 3 pm, Thursday afternoon.

The shed seems to be a total loss.

The Monticello Fire Dept. was paged out to a fire at the building next to Piggly Wiggly, Thursday morning, around 4:30.

The building has been a home to many local business, from a barber and beauty shop, to a bookstore, and recently as a store for bargains and bows.

Major damage was done to the back of the structure.

The Monticello Fire Dept. and Arkansas Forestry Commission responded to a woods fire in the Windy Hills area of Old Hwy 13, Saturday afternoon, around 1 pm.

Fire fighters battled the blaze, and had it contained, controlled, and extinguished in approximately an hour.

No structures were harmed, and only an estimated acre of weeds was damaged.

Photos provided by MLive readers.

Sunday afternoon around 4 pm, the Monticello Fire Dept. was called to the mobile home fire on Seventh Day Camp Road, of off Old Troy Road.

The cause was likely an electrical fire in the laundry area.  Fire damage was contained of the hallway, but smoke damage spread throughout the home.

The Monticello Fire Dept was paged to the report of a fire in the attic of a College Street home, Monday afternoon, just before 3 o’clock.

The fire was quickly extinguished, and the smoldering materials removed from the area..

The probable cause in fires like this is usually electrical.

(more…)

(more…)

Friday, around noon, the Monticello Fire & Rescue Dive Team was called to Lake Monticello, where a couple fishing were trying to load their boat onto its trailer.

(more…)

Friday afternoon, around 3:30, the Collins-Comonto Fire Dept. responded to a building fire just off of HWY 35 East, near Cominto.

The building that was destroyed had housed the transmitters for KXSA radio, 103.1.

(more…)

Around 8 pm Thursday night, the Monticello Fire Dept. was paged out to the report of smoke at City Drug, on E. Gaines Street.

Due to their quick response, only a box in the storage area was damaged.

Nikki Hood, co-owner of City Drug told MLive how much she appreciated the quick response of the local fire and police depts, and added that City Drug will open at 8 am, as usual, with breakfast and all services in full operation.

Two local homes were destroyed by house fires, Monday and Tuesday

(more…)

Shown here is a Drew County Sheriff’s patrol car, which was damaged when a tree fell in it.

Pictured below are two MFD firemen responding to a call where a tree fell on power lines, causing a fire.  Two vehicle, driving in the blowing sheets of rain, collided with the tree, lying across the road.  No one was injured.

Both of these photos were included in the Good Morning America report.

Thanks to everyone who submitted storm damage photos to MLive to share with our readers.

Sunday afternoon, the burned shell of this 2009 Dodge, registered to an Ashley County man, was discovered in the Friendship Lane area of Drew County.

(more…)

Thursday evening around  5 pm, the Monticello Fire Dept. was called to battle a residence fire on HWY 35 East, just past the HWY 278 intersection.

The home appears to be a total loss.

No information was available about the cause of the fire.

Mayor Allen Maxwell, in a recorded statement Monday morning, confirmed that Fire Chief Steven Faulkner had been placed on administrative leave, and an interim Fire Chief had been appointed. Today, a few more details have been released.

(more…)

Mayor Allen Maxwell, in a recorded statement Monday morning, confirmed that Fire Chief Steven Faulkner has been placed on administrative leave, and an interim Fire Chief has been appointed, effective last Friday.

(more…)

Burning leaves.  Some folks hate it;  many folks do it.

This photo shows one of the larger “leaf piles” that we’ve seen in a while, on Oakland St.

If you burn leaves, please monitor the fire, and keep a water hose close at hand.

(more…)

While everyone else was celebrating Christmas day, our local First Responders were at work, serving the community, like they do every other day of the year.

Lacey – Ladelle Fire Dept. put out a fire at a work shed behind a HWY 425 home, Christmas Day.

MPD dispatched a Drew County Sheriff’s Deputy to a truck accident, Christmas Day. No one was reportedly injured.

C&L Electric crews worked to restore power on Valley Junction Road, after a tree fell, bringing down a power line.

The Monticello Fire Dept. responded to a house fire at 5 am, this morning, to a residence on East Trotter St., near Jordan Park.

The fire seems to have started in the back of the residence, where the most damage was located.

Sunday night, for the second straight evening in a row, a fire was reported at or near a local convienence store.

Around 7 pm, a caller reported seeing a large fire in the old Town & Country area, behind the Crackierbox store.

Monticello Fire Dept. trucks quickly arrived, and put out the fire, which was reported to be a brush fire.

Around 5 pm, the Monticello Fire Dept. responded to the report of a grease fire at Brook’s Get & Go, known to many as the “Old Big Jax”.

The fire was quickly extinguished, and no damage was done, according to the owners.

(more…)

(more…)

The Monticello Fire Dept. was called to this mobile home fire, Sunday afternoon, around 2 pm.

The cause of the fire on Florence Road is undetermined. The residents were not home at the time of the fire.

MFD also responded to a home fire at Cottonwood Lane and HWY 35, near Lake Monticello, around 7 pm, Tuesday.

The rescue team also spent several hours on the scene of Monday’s fatal crash at Wilmar, along with their routine duties.

Kelly Reid received the Fireman of the Year Award from Lions Club President Don Hogue, along with a $100 check from Lions Club for the annual award.

Kelly is married to Melissa, a Kindergarten Teacher at Monticello Elementary School. They have two children, John Parker, age 5 years, and Jay Dylan, age 9 months.

Kelly trains fellow firemen and teaches at the Arkansas Fire Academy in Camden. He also volunteers as a referee at Jr High football games. In his “spare time” Kelly said he loves to hunt and fish.

Fire Chief Steve Faulkner selected Kelly for the award from 11 full time firemen and 14 volunteers on the City force. Chief Faulkner said the Fire Department has been successful in lowering the fire insurance rating down to four from five last year. This lower rating will significantly reduce fire insurance premiums in future years.

Two Wilmar residents (both Barkada volunteer firefighters) were passing by Wilmar Baptist Church, Saturday morning, noticed a small fire coming from under a car, just a few feet from a house.

(more…)

Around 10 pm, the Monticello Fire Dept. was called out to a mobile home fire on Young Drive, behind Commercial Bank’s East Branch.

The home was engulfed in flames when the firefighters arrived.

Around 2:30 am, firefighters were again paged out, this time to a mobile home located on South Maple Street, in the lot next to where a series of fires destroyed another home, a couple of years ago.

No cause has been released as to the cause of the fires.

The Young Drive residence was vacant.

The S. Maple home was occupied.

On a day when emergency personnel are recognized across the nation, our local fire dept, police officers, sheriff’s deputies, state troopers, and both ambulance services were busy proving how important they are to our community.

This link shows the dedicaiton that our local first resonders serve our community with, as they did on the 2010 anniversary of this life-changing day.