Andrews – A house fire on Collett Woods Trail off of Junaluska Road left only debris in its wake at about 1 p.m. Thursday.
The home is located on a private road in a quiet and tranquil neighborhood surrounded by trees. Fire and rescue departments from Valleytown, Peachtree, Nantahala and Graham County used about 60,000 gallons of water to extinguish the fire, according to Valleytown assistant fire chief Richard Harris.
The house was still smoldering, with a spot fire visible the following day. A vehicle at the residence was destroyed by the fire as well, and it appeared that several children’s items were among the debris.
The three-and-a-half-story structure is on 1.99 acres and was assessed at being worth $540,000. It was declared a total loss.
Officials said the homeowners recently departed for vacation. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities in the blaze.