Old Mill fire may be arson
By Jeremy Peppas \ Staff Writer \ jpeppas@nlrtimes.com
Friday, December 19, 2008 11:58 AM CST
A Tuesday night fire at the Old Mill is being investigated as a case of arson.
“The fire appears to have been intentionally set,” said deputy fire marshal and fire department Lt. Mark Shoemaker.
“If you are familiar with the Old Mill, you know that it is largely a concrete and stone structure. The only combustible material was in the roof and that’s where it caught fire.”
The blaze caused $7,000 worth of damage to the building that is valued at $1 million.
“We are still investigating at this time,” Shoemaker said. “We are actively pursuing leads at this time.”
The Old Mill recently had its 75th anniversary and is one of North Little Rock’s more famous landmarks. A photo of the Old Mill was used in the opening credits of the movie Gone With the Wind and as a result tourists have flocked to the structure.
The site, with its lush gardens, is also a popular place for wedding and engagement photos.
The gardens have been recognized as the 2008 Arkansas Master Gardener Project of the Year.
Becky Hight, who is one the master gardeners, said Wednesday that she hadn’t been able to make it to the Old Mill to see if the flower beds and shrubs had been damaged. Burt Turner, who is president of the Friends of the Old Mill, did not return calls by press-time.
Firefighter were notified by a 911 call at 9:13 p.m. and arrived at the park at 9:20. Upon the their arrival, the firefighters found flames coming from the roof of the building.
The fire was controlled at 11:08 p.m., according to the department’s report.
The report noted that the fire had been mostly extinguished by the firefighters’ arrival and they stayed on scene until Shoemaker completed his report.
