McDuffie County Sheriff’s Substation Damaged by Fire; GBI Investigates Possible Arson

A burglar smashed into a McDuffie County sheriff's substation in Dearing and ignited a blaze to hide what they'd done, the GBI said. It happened Tuesday.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation into the cause of the fire at the law enforcement outpost on Augusta Highway. State agents are examining whether someone intentionally lit the fire.

Fire crews arrived and stopped the flames before they could reach other buildings nearby. Nobody got hurt.

Deputies who work the western part of the county use this spot as a satellite workspace. It gives them a closer place to start patrols and connect with people who live there.

The blaze tore through sections where staff handle paperwork and store gear. Officials haven't released full details about how much of the building got wrecked.

Deputies who usually work out of the Dearing spot have shifted to other county buildings while officials figure out what comes next. Patrols will keep running.

People living in Dearing saw fire trucks and emergency vehicles swarming the substation. Crews blocked off roads while they worked to secure the scene.

The substation sits on a state highway that links Thomson and Augusta. That makes it a natural spot for handling routine calls and watching traffic.

Any decision about filing criminal charges would come after the local district attorney reviews the case file. No charges have been announced as of mid-July.

Dearing has fewer than 1,000 people. The town sits in eastern Georgia, west of Augusta.