CROMWELL - A fire at an empty building on Pixie Parkway in Cromwell is being investigated as suspicious.
Around 5:04 a.m. Monday, the Turkey Creek Fire Territory was called to a vacant building at 9702 E. Pixie Parkway, Cromwell, for a structure fire. When firefighters arrived, the building was fully engulfed in flames.
Water was shuttled to the scene from a lake hydrant on Walnut Drive and from a fire hydrant at Runaway Bay Condominiums with tankers from Turkey Creek Fire Territory, the North Webster Fire Department and the Cromwell Fire Department responding.
Roy Hileman, who lives across the street from the fire at 9691 E. Pixie Parkway, Cromwell, reported the fire.
Fire Chief Mickey Scott and Brian Richcreek met with Kosciusko County Deputy Craig Bale and reported that the door on the west side of the house was standing open when fire crews arrived.
Hileman told police that he saw a large bonfire burning behind 9702 E. Pixie Parkway, Cromwell. When he went around the east side of his residence, he saw the vacant residence on fire and called 911.
Hileman also said he saw the walk-in door on the west side of the vacant residence was open, and that that door was normally closed.
Steven M. Kelly, 1 Industrial Drive, Cromwell, is the owner of the property at 9702 E. Pixie Parkway.
No injuries were reported in the fire, which remains under investigation. The home is considered a total loss with about $55,000 in damage.
The Turkey Creek Fire Territory was assisted at the scene by the North Webster Fire Department, the Cromwell Fire Department, the Syracuse Police Department and the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department.
