Illegal fireworks cause small fire in Virginia City

A small 30-by-30 foot fire near the intersection of B and C streets in Virginia City was caused by illegal fireworks thrown from a motorcycle.

Fire Chief Gary Hames said the fire, which was discovered at 9:43 p.m. Wednesday, is deemed suspicious.

Hames said a witness said a person leaving Virginia City on C Street heading north, riding a motorcycle, threw the device from his bike between 9 and 9:15 p.m.

"It was witnessed, but unfortunately they did not get a description of the motorcycle or a license number," he said. "We recovered the device that started it."

The Storey County Fire Department is asking anyone who may have information on the incident to call 847-0954.

Hames said Bobby Seymour, the owner of the property that caught fire, did a great job putting out the fire with his garden hose before firefighters arrived. He was aided, Hames said, by Tim Lucich, an off-duty Sierra Fire Protection District employee who lives in Virginia City, who got a shovel and helped get the fire under control

"We're really pretty fortunate around here lots of former or retired firefighters live in the area," he said.