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Raging Fire Nearly
Engulfs Franklin ton
Wind swept flames cut a swath. 3 miles wide
and 5 miles long along the entire western
boundary of Franklinton Thursday afternoon
destroying buildings and valuable woodlands
causing damages estimated in the thousands
of dollars.
Wind swept flames cut a swath
3 miles wide and 5 miles long
along the entire western bound
ary of Frankllnton Thursday
afternoon destroying buildings
and valuable woodlands caus
ing damages estimated in the
thousands of dollars.
All available fire apparatus
within a 50 mile radius of
Frankllnton was called In to
battle the roaring fire, which,
at one time, seriously threat
ened the entire town of Frank
llnton. .
The fire, which began al>ouK
three miles west of FrankWn
ton about noon, Jumped ^-fural
paved road running npnh from
Wright's Store on/Kighway 56
and, fanned by high winds, swept
across tender -dry wood and
farm landx eastward to U.S.
Numbe^f Highway. ?
Just as the flames jumped
the main north-south traffic
Artery, a wind shift to the south
' caused the fire to spread with
lightning like rapidity along the
western town limits all the way
to N.C. Highway 56.
During the height of the fire,
flames swept across the busy
U.S. 1 by-pass in Frankllnton ,,
at several locations and Into
the Ramey Circle residential
section where it set fire to
three homes and burned wood
land to the back door of a
number of other houses.
Upwards of 40 pieces of fire
and rescue apparatus was rush
ed In to the Frankllnton area
to assist beleagured firefight
ers from FraiiHWHWin, -Louls
burg, Youngsvllle, Bunn, Cen
tervllle, Justice and Epsom,
who, With the County Forest
Fire Service, bore the brunt
of the battle. "
As darkness descended,
Frankllnton took on the appear
ance of a military camp as
Governor Sanford ordered otit
units of ttie 5th Rocket Battal
ion, 113th Artillery, of the Na
tional Guard from Loulsburg
and Youngsvllle to control traf
fic In the emergency an<t lend
a hand with the fire fighting.
Fire Permits
Cancelled
The State Forest Service
Thursday issued a special warn
ing concerning hazardous (ire
conditions throughout the area.
State forester F. H. Clttldge,
in issuing a cancellation order
for all brush burning permits
and all \ypes of burning within
500 feet of any wooded area,
stated thaLconditione-we?e?ir?
tremely critical.
Claridge's cancellation order
also prohibits any burning after
4 P.M. even though a brush
burning permit i-Tirot normally
required during this period,
County Forest Ranger J, A.
Pearce said.
Director of the National Guard
operation was Major Tom East,
of Franklintog^ the Battalloiif
operations officer*, /
Russell Nicholson of th^State
Civil pefense Office iKKaleigh
rushed in to help/Franklinton
Fire Chief Miltpn House direct
fire-fighting operations of units
of fire departments from.. as
far aw^y as Rocky Mount and
Apex/
but in the country, at least
-four houses, all believed un
occupied, burned as well as
three barns, and numerous other
small farm outbuildings. Three
of the destroyed houses were
on the Fred Cooke farm west
of Franklinton and the other
house and three barns were
located on the John Wright farm.
So dense was the smoke in the
area that motorists were forced
to drive with their headlights on.
Residents Pack Belongings In Car
^ -+ ? ' 7 <?
Smoke Proves Too Much For Motorist Above