Insurance Letter Alleges Deputy's Cigarette Started Vienna Pointe Fire
A fire destroyed the Vienna Pointe assisted living facility in early August, leading to accusations against a Maries County Sheriff's Office deputy. According to a letter obtained by ABC 17 News, insurance representatives for Vienna Pointe claimed surveillance footage showed a cigarette, carelessly extinguished by someone they believed was a sheriff's deputy, as the fire's cause.
Sheriff Refutes Accusations Using Dispatch Records
Sheriff Mark Morgan responded in a letter stating dispatch logs confirm no deputies were at Vienna Pointe during the hours before the fire began. He explained,
"My first thought is I go back and I look at our logs. We sent a deputy; however, the deputy was disregarded approximately 30 to 40 seconds after he went en route."
The call logged was a 911 hang-up about 90 minutes prior to the fire’s start, which the sheriff clarified was handled by Vienna Police Department, not the sheriff's office.
Deputies' Role After the Fire Started
Though deputies were present after the fire ignited, their involvement was limited to managing traffic in the streets surrounding Vienna Pointe.
Summary
The claim that a deputy’s cigarette caused the Vienna Pointe fire is challenged by official dispatch records indicating no deputies were on site before the fire started.
Author's summary: Official dispatch logs contradict the insurance claim, showing no sheriff's deputy was present at Vienna Pointe before the fire, limiting deputy involvement to traffic control post-fire.