Fire That Ripped Through Mooresville Development Deemed Arson

MOORESVILLE, NC — Fire investigators are asking for community tips as they search for leads into who started a massive fire that destroyed nearly half of a housing development under construction in south Iredell County last week. That fire was intentionally set, according to fire officials.

Fire fighters from Mooresville Fire-Rescue and South Iredell Volunteer Fire Department responded to the blaze on Samara Lane in the The Reserve at Ashlyn Creek subdivision shortly before midnight Oct. 22, where they found numerous homes under construction on fire.

Six of the 13 homes under construction were considered a complete loss, and a seventh home suffered significant fire damage, fire officials said. "Additionally, several buildings across the street from the destroyed homes received minor to moderate damage from radiant heat," MFR said.

No injuries were reported during the incident, fire officials said.

SEE ALSO: Massive Fire Destroys 6 Homes Under Construction In Mooresville

“Based on findings at the scene, along with eyewitness video taken prior to the arrival of the fire departments, investigators from local, state and federal agencies determined the fire which destroyed six homes under construction on Samara Lane was started intentionally and was not an accidental fire,” Mooresville Fire & Rescue said in a statement.

Now, the joint investigation by Mooresville Fire-Rescue, Mooresville Police Department, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has turned to identifying suspects behind the blaze, fire officials said.

“We are now shifting our efforts to the task of identifying the person or persons responsible for this terrible act to find out why someone would purposely inflict this level of damage to another’s property,” Mooresville Fire Marshal Geoff Woolard said in a statement.

Mooresville Fire & Rescues said that anyone who may have seen anything out of the ordinary in The Reserve or Ashlyn Creek neighborhoods in the days leading up to or on the night of October 22 is asked to contact the Iredell County Crime Stoppers at 704-662-1340. Callers may remain anonymous and a cash reward may be possible if the information leads to an arrest.