By CHAD ABSHIRE

Staff Writer

WILLIAMSON - The sounds of sirens pierced through the air last night, as three fire engines and 12 firefighters from the Williamson Fire Department responded to a structural fire in East End.

Fire Chief Jerry Mounts told the Daily News that the fire happened at a home on 581 East Fourth Ave., “the old Corea home place.”

That home, Mounts said, was built by Italian immigrants nearly a century ago and that the stone it was built from saved the structure.

Despite that, an estimated $5,000 was done in damages.

The chief said that the cause of the fire appeared to unattended cooking. He also said that the occupant of the home, Sandra Mullins, was there at the time of the blaze.

The building is owned by Gary Hackney.

Officer Bert Gibson, with the Williamson Police Department, directed traffic during the fire and took Mullins to Williamson Memorial Hospital. The extent of her injuries, along with her age, were unavailable as of presstime.

And even though the WFD had a response time of 90 seconds and the fire was controlled in less than 10 minutes, Mounts did mention a problem that the firefighters experienced.

“We had a terrible time with motorists still wanting to drive through the emergency scene,” Mounts said. “I was nearly struck by a car myself.”

Mounts said that he saw WPD Officer Jimmy Spence pursue one motorist that drove through the line, and Gibson confirmed that to the Daily News.

However, Gibson would not comment further on the matter.

The WFD engines used on-board water sources to battle the fire, which covered much of East End in thick, heavy smoke, Mounts said. Traffic was blocked for nearly an hour on both sides.

The fire is still under investigation.