Firefighter charged in Nakina arson

• New Year’s Day fire traced by investigators to Christopher Shawn McDevitt, a son of Nakina Fire & Rescue Chief Vince McDevitt.

By BOB HIGH
Staff Writer

Christopher Shawn McDevitt, a 25-year-old Nakina firefighter and son of Nakina Fire and Rescue Chief Vince McDevitt, was arrested early New Year’s Day on a charge of second-degree arson.

McDevitt is charged with setting a blaze inside a double-wide mobile home along Ramsey Ford Road that was still to be “set up” as a new home for McDevitt’s aunt.
Investigators report “at least” $25,000 in damages to the structure, owned by P&R Homes of Fairmont. The fire was reported by the young McDevitt at 2:28 a.m. Tuesday, records show.

Ironically, it was McDevitt’s aunt, Evelyn Vernell Reaves who lost her home – almost across the road from the firefighter’s home -- in three questionable fires less than three months ago.

The mobile home that was burned had just been delivered by the Fairmont mobile home firm, and was still to be placed on a permanent foundation, it was reported.

Fire and Rescue Chief Vince McDevitt resigned Tuesday. He stated his action was because he felt it was the “right thing to do,” according to a report.

Assistant Chief Jimmy Williams is now the acting chief for both departments. Young McDevitt was suspended until the outcome of the arson charge.

Crucial evidence

Investigators said they found crucial evidence in McDevitt’s home, and also collected important items outside the residence.

There are several other suspicious recent Nakina fires, including the burning of the headquarters of Nakina Fire and Rescue and the home of John Ward, chairman of Nakina’s board of directors for the fire and rescue units.

In addition, the brick home of Evelyn Reaves was destroyed by three unusual fires in a 25-hour period on Oct. 21-22 last year.

Records in the county Fire Marshal’s office show Reaves’ home was the site of a blaze reported at 1:51 a.m. on Oct. 21, then a second fire was reported two hours later at 3:50 a.m.

Oct. 22 fire

The fire that gutted the 30-by-60 home was reported at 2:44 a.m. the next morning, according to Shannon Blackman, the county’s acting fire marshal.

Blackman and his assistant Jason Soles said McDevitt said he was in his home Tuesday at 2:30 a.m. at his computer and saw flames through the blinds of a window.

McDevitt told investigators he ran outside and found his own home burning from vinyl siding that had been torched. He used a garden hose to douse the flames on the two-story structure where he is living.

He was not charged in this fire, because it is still being investigated, it was reported.

McDevitt was taken to the county jail shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday, and was released on a $25,000 bond posted by his family before being confined behind bars.