DEADLY FIRE Hale, 26, succumbs to Bluff Springs blaze

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

The remains of the home of Clint Hale smolder following the pre-dawn fire Saturday which claimed the Bluff Springs resident’s life. (Duane Sherrill photo)

A Bluff Springs man died in an early morning house fire Saturday, the result of what investigators suspect may have been burning candles.

The victim, Clint Hale, 26, was found inside the rubble of his house after North Warren firemen responded to the pre-dawn blaze at 4:40 a.m. The house was reportedly already fully engulfed in flames when fire-fighters arrived. The structure itself was completely gutted by the fire.

According to Sheriff Jackie Matheny, a preliminary probe of the fire scene revealed Hale was found in the den of his home, near a door which opened into a garage-area, prompting investigators to believe he may have awakened and made an attempt to get out of the burning house before being overcome by smoke and fumes. He was alone in the house at the time of the blaze.

As for the cause of the tragedy, Matheny said official word will have to come from the Tennessee Fire Marshal’s office which will investigate the fire scene this week. The house has been sealed off awaiting their arrival.

However, Matheny noted preliminary indications are that the fire began in the living room area of the structure where witnesses said candles were being burned earlier in the evening. The sheriff pointed out house guests, who had been at Hale’s home a short time before the blaze began, told investigators about the candles. The witnesses said everything appeared normal when they left the house to get breakfast.

“There’s no evidence of foul play or anything like that. It’s looking like an accidental fire,” Matheny said. “We won’t know for sure until the fire marshal’s office is through, but right now it appears the candles may have started the fire.”

Hale was the son of prominent local developer Waymon Hale.