As the fire burned toward Porter Mountain Road, Blue Ridge firefighters, armed only with small low-pressure hoses, fought to keep the flames from jumping across the road and burning toward more houses. But it was enough, with only seconds to spare, a tanker arrived. Its high pressure hoses were able to beat the flames back. The fire burned about ten acres, and came within 20 feet of 3 houses. They're still trying to find out what started it.
Some attorneys think so.
Robert Vernon Brown, convicted killer Gene Gaylor and former husband and wife Carrol Eugene Humphries and Kitty Abshire Humphries are all charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Prosecutors believe they were all involved in the 1976 bombing death of Billy Ray Abshire. But, yesterday defense attorneys claimed the state waited too long to charge them with the crime. And, they're asking a judge to dismiss the cases. Prosecutors, meanwhile, claim they're only now able to press charges thanks to recent developments in the case.