Cumming Weekend Fire Likely Arson, Officials Say

Credit: Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

Forsyth County fire investigators are extremely confident that the fire which destroyed an empty home in Cumming on Saturday morning was started intentionally, a department spokesman tells Patch.

“The fire was definitely intentionally set,” Deputy Chief Jason Shivers says. ”We’re actively engaged in an investigation that we feel confident will net those we feel responsible in the very near future.”

The home was empty, as it stood on a parcel of land that had been purchased for future development. Shivers says that the sale of the property had absolutely nothing to do with the fire.

Upon entering the home, fire investigators were quickly able to identify the fire was not an accident, Shivers says, but the nature of their discoveries is being kept under wraps while the investigation continues.

Witnesses gave investigators “credible information of events following the fire,” Shivers says, information which investigators believe will lead them to whoever was responsible for starting the fire.

The fire at the home at 3500 Atlanta Highway was reported at approximately 4 p.m. Saturday, Shivers says. Crews arrived on the scene to discover the home fully involved.

Stretching a supply hose 1,000 feet from the nearest fire hydrant to the burning home, firefighters got the flames under control in short order. The fire was totally extinguished some hours later, Shivers says.