Video: Firefighters let home burn to the ground because owner didn’t pay annual $75 fee

Each year, Obion County residents must pay $75 if they want fire protection from the city of South Fulton. But the Cranicks did not pay.The mayor said if homeowners don’t pay, they’re out of luck…“I thought they’d come out and put it out, even if you hadn’t paid your $75, but I was wrong,” said Gene Cranick.Because of that, not much is left of Cranick’s house…The Cranicks told 9-1-1 they would pay firefighters, whatever the cost, to stop the fire before it spread to their house…It was only when a neighbor’s field caught fire, a neighbor who had paid the county fire service fee, that the department responded. Gene Cranick asked the fire chief to make an exception and save his home, the chief wouldn’t.