Arson is suspected in two Lincoln County fires last weekend that forced evacuations in the Chandler area and reportedly burned an old church building and a vacant structure in Sparks.
There were no reported injuries in the fires.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Capt. Chuck Brewer said, regarding both fires, “The fire is an active investigation and origin was suspicious in nature. A person of interest was developed.
“The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture is assisting with the investigation,” Brewer added.
Chandler Fire Chief Bobby Buchanan said the call came in about 4:30 p.m. Sunday on the Chandler fire that started at 15th Street and Sandy Lane. “It headed northeast and jumped 8th Street, continuing in that direction,” the chief noted.
Buchanan reported the fire continued northeast with firefighters battling it all the way to U.S. 66 where they put it out before it got to the Assembly of God Church.
“It burned about 400 acres. There were no structures burned or destroyed,” the chief stated.
“It was a bad day for someone to do something like that,” Buchanan stressed, alluding to the suspected arson.
He pointed out that several other fire departments assisted Chandler, among them Davenport, Stroud, Prague, Kendrick and Sparks. He said Pottawatomie County and Oklahoma County each sent task forces as well.
Buchanan said some trailer homes located near the fire had to be evacuated.
Brewer said, “Our Special Operations Team (SOT) was activated to assist with evacuations in Chandler off of U.S 66 near Wal Mart.”
Buchanan said Chandler sent some water tankers to the Sparks fire.
Brandon Morgan, Lincoln County Emergency Management Director, said the fire in Sparks burned about eight acres, a vacant structure and the Forest Church building.
That church building reportedly is now being used by the Jeremiah House.
Mark Goeller, with the State Forestry Services, said, “We have some guys gathering intel in Lincoln County. They are looking at the possible cause of those fires.”