A double-wide mobile home abandoned for more than two weeks on Drew-Ruleville Road burned to an apparent total loss on Monday afternoon.
This came within three hours of a board of supervisors discussion regarding the same trailer. Supervisors wanted to know how it came to sit in the lane of traffic there and what could have been done to have it removed.
The fire was reported between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., prompting a response from multiple agencies, including the Drew Volunteer Fire Department, the Ruleville Volunteer Fire Department and the Sunflower County Sheriff’s Department.
During the morning meeting, Board President Gloria Dickerson raised concerns about the abandoned trailer, which had become a point of contention for local residents.
Following Sheriff James Haywood’s report to the board Dickerson inquired about the status of the trailer, linked to an individual the sheriff referred to as “Bull,” who was supposed to move it but had faced delays due to bad weather.
Haywood acknowledged the challenges in contacting the owner, stating, "I plan to visit the site."
He noted that the trailer's presence on the road had raised safety concerns, as it had been left unattended for an extended period.
Haywood told the board that notices of violations had been placed on the trailer in the last couple of weeks.
Board Attorney Johnny McWilliams noted that the trailer likely had a registration number that should be tied to a deed holder.
“There should be a way to track down ownership if there’s a serial number. Once we do that, we can issue a notice,” he explained.
Shortly after the lunch hour on the same day, the trailer was reported ablaze.
Matt McNutt, deputy coordinator for the Sunflower County Fire Coordinator's Office, reported that the fire was witnessed by a local farmer, who alerted authorities.
Multiple witnesses told The Enterprise-Tocsin this week that the trailer was originally situated on a lot inside the city limits of Drew and had been seen hooked to a “dually” pickup truck at night a little over two weeks ago.
The trailer reportedly twice experienced issues during transport and eventually was abandoned in a single lane on the rural road.
Another witness told The E-T that individuals were seen doing work on the trailer around noon on Monday, and the same witness said that when they drove back through the area an hour later, the trailer was on fire.
The cause of the blaze is currently under investigation, and no injuries had been reported as of press time.
