Vehicle engulfed in flames, owner missing

The burned out vehicle and a junked refrigerator surrounded by debris at the residence of Timothy White. Photo by Melissa Missildine Shortly before 2:30PM on Monday afternoon, a call came in that there was a fire somewhere out CR 542 in Oakwood. Not knowing whether or not it was a structure fireor a grass fire, or even exactly where it was, Sherry Smith of the East Leon County Volunteer Fire Department in Oakwood, said they went out prepared for anything. An ambulance was also called out. After traveling down 542, the VFD came upon the residence of Timothy White. Next door to his home, and in fact surrounding it, is a makeshift dump site. There they found a Chevy Suburban ful- ly engulfed in flames and the fire was beginning to spread to the outlying area. White was no where to be found.

This is not the first time the fire fighters from Oakwood have been called out to this address. On several occasions, the VFD has responded to trash fires that have gotten out of control and spread across White's property. Last year's summer fire nearly got to White's home before they could put it out. That was due largely to the debris located on the premises that made maneuvering the water trucks close enough nearly impossible. Although this fire was more localized to a driveway, it had the potential to progress to the home. The VFD got a little help from mother nature or it could have been so much worse. Smith said "Thank God it started to rain right when we were heading out there."

At this time, White's whereabouts are unknown. As he was not found on the property, Smith said they were hopeful that he was just simply not at home when the fire began...although he could not be reached and would likely only find out what had happened when, or if, he returns and sees the devastation.