Mt. Vernon Fire Chief Kevin Sargent says a fire that heavily damaged a garage early this morning appears to have been intentionally set.
The fire was on the Lisa Rollinson property in the 400 block of South 19th Street. She discovered the fire around three Monday morning.
Sargent says firemen got a quick knockdown and kept the fire from spreading the five feet to her home. A city backhoe had to be called in to pull down part of the building to get the fire completely put out. The building contained lawn mowers and other stored items.
The State Fire Marshal’s office was called to assist Mt. Vernon Fire Investigators in further determining the cause of the fire.
Jefferson Fire assisted at the scene while Kell and Waltonville Firemen stood by at the Mt. Vernon station in the event of another fire.
Firemen were on the scene for about two and a half hours.