Last night, firefighters responded to the seventh Bath-area fire in the past two weeks. Based on the information collected so far, the source of all seven fires was determined to be arson.

    The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has been called to assist in the investigation.

    Last night, at 10:49 p.m., the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office received a report of a barn fire on South Boyd Road in Bath. Deputies and SBI Agents responded to the location. Firefighters from Bath and Pinetown Volunteer Fire Departments, the North Carolina Forestry Service and Beaufort County Emergency Management responded to extinguish the fire.

    Over the past two weeks, there have been six other suspected arsons in the Bath area; four of which occurred late this past Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning.

    Tuesday, at approximately 11:44 p.m., the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office received a report of a fire at an abandoned residence on Highway 264 near Jones Bridge Road in Pinetown. Firefighters with Bath and Pantego Volunteer Fire Departments responded to battle the blaze.

    At 11:49 p.m., Tuesday, a Beaufort County deputy, responding to assist on Highway 264, located a second fire at an abandoned residence at 2830 Free Union Church Road in Pinetown. Pinetown and Bunyan Volunteer Fire Departments responded to fight the second fire.

    At 12:14 a.m., on Wednesday, while attempting to extinguish the fire on Free Union Church Road, firefighters received a report of a third fire at 4204 Free Union Church Road. The property was a block structure used as a community fellowship club. Upon arrival, fire crews from Pinetown and Bunyan found fire through the roof of the building and began to fight the fire.

    At 12:20 a.m., Wednesday, firefighters that had been working to put out the fire on Highway 264 discovered a fourth fire at an abandoned residence on Free Union Church Road between Jones Bridge Road and Christian School Road. Bath and Pantego firefighters worked to extinguish that blaze.

    Investigators and extra deputies were called out to begin investigations into the sources of the fires.

    The other two suspected arsons occurred the week before: one, on Feb. 16, in a church on South White Post Road in Bath; and another, on Feb. 19, in an abandoned residence on Delia Wallace Road in Bath.

    Anyone with information about these fires is asked to call Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at 252-974-6400 or the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office at 252-946-7111. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in these cases. Callers do not have to give their name to receive a reward. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

    This article provided courtesy of our sister site: Beaufort County Now