Franklin man calls 911 to report wildfire, then is charged with setting it

  • Source: Charlotte Observer
  • Published: 11/30/2016 02:41 PM

A man who called 911 to report a wildfire was charged Wednesday with lighting it and trying to set other blazes in the parched mountains of Western North Carolina. Keith Eugene Mann, 49, of Franklin was charged with one federal count of destroying property of the United States by means of fire. Authorities said a wildfire was reported to the U.S. Forest Service in Macon County on Oct. 27 in the Nantahala National Forest. Investigators determined it had been intentionally set. They discovered the remains of five other fires – apparently arson – in the area that had apparently gone out on their own. Wooden stem matches were found near the fires.



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