A Tennessee man watched in horror last week as flames consumed his house. Also watching? The local subscription-based fire department. The man had not paid his $75 firefighting fee, so the firemen would not lift a finger or a hose.

Only after the fire spread to his neighbor’s field would the firemen even respond to his 911 calls. Once there, they only put out the field fire as his house continued to burn to a crisp. His neighbor had paid his firefighting fee.

“I thought they’d come out and put it out, even if you hadn’t paid your $75, but I was wrong,” the hapless homeowner told reporters.

The man offered to pay them the fee right then and there, or however much it took to get them to put out the fire, but was refused. The man lives in a county that has no fire protection. The nearby town offers fire protection to non-residents on a per-contract basis.

“Anybody that’s not in the city of South Fulton, it’s a service we offer, either they accept it or they don’t,” the mayor told WPSD.

Later someone went to the fire station and assaulted one of the fire fighters.

Firefighters watch as home burns to the ground [WPSD] (Thanks to Justin!)

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