Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 15, 1994                   TAG: 9402150137
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

FIRE DESTROYS FRANKLIN HOME

When Franklin County firefighters arrived at Witcher Trailer Park on Virginia 619, fire was engulfing the home, Deputy Fire Marshal Ben Cook said.

It took 40 minutes just to contain the fire and more than an hour to fully extinguish it.

"We mainly focused on protecting another mobile home, which stood about 20 feet away," Cook said.

The owner of the home, Thomas Herbert, said it was ruined.

"I'm not sure how much it cost me. I had some [insurance] coverage, but it sure wasn't enough."

Herbert said he had been renting the home for about six months to Oscar Woodson, who lived alone. Herbert said Woodson told him that when he left for work at 6 a.m., nothing in the home was out of the ordinary.

"He lost everything he owned in that fire," Herbert said.

Cook said the cause of the fire is being investigated.