MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A massive fire tore through several houses on Walnut Street in Macon early Sunday morning, leaving destruction behind and leading to the arrest of 58-year-old Derrick Kenneth Bell.
The Macon-Bibb Fire Department believes Bell is responsible for the fire, which destroyed at least three homes and damaged neighboring properties.
“It carries the same weight as an arson charge,” Lt. Kyle Murray, the Macon-Bibb Fire Department’s lead fire investigator, said by phone on Monday. “However, the difference is with the arson charge, we would have to prove that his intent was to burn down the houses. Based on our investigation, the intent was not there. However, under criminal damage to property in the second degree, it does state that a person who by reckless conduct damages someone else’s property by means of fire can be charged with criminal damage to property in the second degree.”
A neighbor told 41NBC he noticed the fire at 6 a.m.
“A noise of something crashing woke me up at 6, and I looked out the window, and it was just a ball of fire right outside the window,” Edward Atkins said.
Maghan Orr lived in one of the destroyed homes.
Her family members combed through the debris Monday morning trying to salvage anything.
The fire has impacted several families, and the Red Cross Central Midwest GA has opened cases for two families.
Holly Winner, the Executive Director at Red Cross Central Midwest GA, says that number could go up.
The Red Cross is urging those impacted by the fire to reach out for assistance.
Additionally, there are two active GoFundMe accounts for those impacted by the fire. One of the accounts is for Victoria Carruthers, and the other is for Orr, who lost one of her cats in the fire.