Potter's House

JOURNAL STAFF REPORT

Published: June 10, 2008

Updated: 06/10/2008 02:22 pm

Winston-Salem fire officials are investigating a string of fires in abandoned homes in a two-block area of East 25th Street.

A fire Monday night caused about $45,000 worth of damage to a house at 1417 E. 25th St.

Two other fires caused extensive damage to homes in the 1200 block of East 25th Street earlier this month. Both of those fires led to losses that were also in the $40,000 range, officials said.

All three homes were vacant and no injuries were reported in any of the fires.

Firefighters arrived at 1417 E. 25th Street just before 10 p.m. and flames were coming from the home, said District 3 Battalion Chief Kevin Griffin.

Griffin said it was "very unusual" for three houses so close together to catch fire in such a short span of time.

A poster near the front door of the house that burned Monday reads "This fire was arson." But city fire investigator Jon Canupp said the poster was put up as a means to solicit information from witnesses and it's too early in the investigation to rule that arson was the cause of the fire.

"We've not officially made that call," he said.

The causes of the fires at the two other homes, at 1228 and 1225 E. 25th Street, have also not been determined, Canupp said. The fire at 1228 E. 25th St. occurred June 1, and the fire across the street, at 1225, occurred June 4.

John Young and his wife, Pansy, live next door to 1228 E. 25th Street and for 10 years operated the Potter's House a few doors down from the burned home. The Potter's House, a ministry that the Young's ran to provide food, tutoring and other services to the neighborhood, closed earlier this year after city officials determined it did not comply with zoning and building regulations.

John Young said its closing has helped contribute to a feeling of hopelessness in the area.

He also said he's worried because his other neighboring house is vacant, as were all three of the homes that burned.

"It has to be someone setting the fires or something," he said. "It's not natural."

Young said the neighborhood used to be vibrant but it has declined in recent years.

"I would like to see this neighborhood come back to the days of its glory," he said. "It used to be a great neighborhood."

He said it would take more than law enforcement to improve the neighborhood. The area area needs a Laundromat close by for those who can't drive, and a good grocery store, he said.

"We need a whole lot of help in this area from all fronts," he said.

He said that his wife and he are hoping to reopen Potter's house, but in a new building so that it won't run afoul of zoning regulations.

•Paul Garber can be reached at 727-7327 or at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .