BURNING CANDLE LEADS TO FIRE IN SCOTT COUNTY COURTHOUSE

BENTON -- A Sunday morning fire in the Scott County Courthouse, that apparently began when a candle was left burning in the prosecutor's office, was quickly extinguished without major damage to the building.

Scott County Sheriff Bill Ferrell said Sunday that the fire was detected shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday when deputies from his department and Officer Roy Moore of the Benton Police Department heard an alarm and detected smoke coming from the office of Scott County Prosecutor Cristy Baker-Neel.

The officers, who gained entry by breaking in a door on the second floor, extinguished the fire.

Preliminary investigation indicated that a candle was accidentally left burning when the office closed on Friday.

"The situation could have been much worse. No one was injured and the damage to the office is confined to a desk and some paperwork," Ferrell said. The office sustained major smoke damage, though the actual fire was confined to one desk. The amount of damage will not be known until after clean up efforts begin on Monday.