MADISON COUNTY, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
A Madison County resident says her business was shut down by smoke from a fire Wednesday. It happened during a controlled burn started by her neighbor, on their property.
Property owner Patty Shoemaker says, "It was a tornado of black soot and white ash just coming across the entire farm, there was no escaping it."
Shoemaker says the controlled burn was started on a wooded lot, across from the Winterview Farm on Spring Road in Madison County.
"The wind was blowing 25 miles per hour, the whole thing goes up in flames, blows across our farm, we have 50 horses, and had to shut down my business. It was dangerous, elderly people can't breathe, my husband was sick in bed by 4 o'clock. Nephew by 7. I was sick all night," says Shoemaker.
Now Shoemaker says everything is covered in soot, and she wants to hold the property owner responsible for the cleanup.
The State Forestry Commission says the property owners, David Miller and Leslie Lampton, obtained a burn permit from them. It's not required but recommended for safety reasons.
Although wind is needed to disperse the smoke, Shoemaker says it was too windy, and her property was the direct target.
State officials say anyone who finds themselves in Shoemaker's position, they can file a complaint with the Department of Environmental Quality.
"The property owners are responsible for this. This was a bad decision," said Shoemaker.
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