Authorities Investigating Hartwell Fire

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

Authorities in Hartwell believe a fire at an abandoned grainery Tuesday morning may have been deliberately set.

Firefighters were called to the old Merritt Grain and Feed building about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Hartwell Fire Chief Terry Vickery said that by the time they arrived, the old metal building was fully involved.

The building is located across from Hart County High School on the corner of Cleveland Avenue and Legion Street in Hartwell.

Streets around the school were blocked for several hours Tuesday morning while crews worked to put out the blaze.

Vickery said the process of trying to figure out how the fire started is now underway.

He said they believe it was arson.

Vickery said he and the Hartwell Police Department will be investigating, and he said they already have some leads on who may have set the fire.