Two house fires in Jones County on Saturday evening and early Sunday morning destroyed two homes and kept firefighters from eight volunteer fire departments busy for hours.

The first fire at the home of Al and Stephanie Taylor on Mack Mauldin Road in the Calhoun Community occurred as the family was out of town and was not discovered until the fire had burst through the roof of the two story home.

Volunteer fire units from Calhoun, Pleasant Ridge, Soso, Hebron and Shady Grove responded to the fire with five fire engines, five tankers and four rescue trucks only to find an inferno awaiting them.

Calhoun Engine 1 was the first fire unit on scene and Fire Chief Joel Blackwell reported heavy fire conditions on both the first and second floors. Firefighters attempted an interior attack from the rear of the home only to be forced out by extremely vigorous fire conditions as the roof and second story collapsed into the first floor. Two firefighters were injured in the ensuing firefight with both suffering from heat exhaustion.

One firefighter was treated at the scene and another transported by EMServ Ambulance Service to South Central Regional Medical Center for treatment. Two firefighters from Glade VFD who were in Soso visiting with Soso VFD firefighters also responded to the call.

Jones County Fire Coordinator Dan McKenna and District 1 Fire Chief Glenn Musgrove responded to the scene along with units from the Jones County Sheriff's Office and Dixie Electric Power Association. Firefighters were on the scene until approximately 2:15 a.m. conducting fire suppression, salvage and overhaul operations.

The Taylor family arrived home along with relatives and friends while active firefighting operations were still underway and later directed firefighters to areas of the home where family photos and some family heirlooms were successfully recovered.

A second fire was reported just after midnight at the home of Richard Crosby at 44 Vernon Rainey Road in the Southwest Jones VFD immediate response area. Reports from the scene indicate that the home was struck by lighting during a severe thunderstorm, igniting the home instantly.

Southwest Jones VFD, South Jones VFD and Boggy VFD responded to the call, but were hampered by downed trees and power lines across roads in the area. Southwest Jones VFD Engine 1 was the first unit on scene having cleared trees while responding and reported a fully involved structure.

A quick fire attack extinguished the burning home, but not before severe damage had been inflicted by the fast moving fire. Four fire engines, three tankers and two rescue units responded to the call along with Jones County Fire Coordinator Dan McKenna who was enroute before being diverted to a two vehicle accident involving a fire engine and SUV in District 1.

There were no injuries reported at the scene and all fire units were back in service by 2:30 a.m.