Investigation into rural fire is inconclusive
Because of the remote area and the lack of physical evidence, the investigation into an early morning blaze at an empty farmstead on Dec. 19 has ended with no determination of how it started.
Peabody Fire Chief Ronnie Harms said that the investigator from the state fire marshal's office officially called the fire one of "undetermined origin."
"There was no way they felt they could prove it one way or another," said Harms. "It was too far gone and burned too much to get any evidence from what was left."
The fire department was called out at 4 a.m. to the farmstead south and east of Peabody on Quail Creek Road. The unoccupied structure is owned by Mitch Moffett. A nearby shop building contained tools and equipment and had electrical service. No loss estimate has been made.
