August 18, 2009

Investigators are continuing to look for clues into what caused a fire on Belle Vista Drive in the Stony Point area, a fire that consumed a home valued at nearly $4 million.

The home was vacant and for sale. The owner, Darren Kady, is a developer in several states and also owns patents for cell phone security devices.

Investigators say they haven't ruled out arson in the fire that blasted through the Southwind Manor estate over the weekend.

CBS 19 has learned Kady owned a rooming house in Lawrence, Massachusetts that was the subject of an intense investigation about six years ago.

Inspectors say they found a series of fire code violations including smoke detectors that were missing or dismantled and a malfunctioning fire alarm system.

We called Valley Lodging and were told Kady has since sold his stake in that property.

In a telephone interview Tuesday, Kady said he is in shock about the fire at Southwind Manor and that the house was once his pride and joy.

One official told CBS 19 the garage doors on the house were open when firefighters arrived and the sprinkler system had been turned off.

Before the listing for the house was removed from real estate records, 4595 Belle Vista Drive was described as a 4 bed, 4 bath, 7,000 square feet mansion, and 115 acres, with an asking price of $3.8 million.

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