FOUNTAIN LAKE, AR – A house fire destroyed a Garland County man’s home and took with it his family’s life savings and everything they needed for their new business. The owner says it could have been prevented if a street sign had been put up so firefighters knew where he lived. 

There’s a street sign up now designating Moon Hollow Trail but the homeowner says it’s a little late. 

Robert “Moon” Mullins says he still hopes it can prevent this from happening to anyone else and he praised Garland County Judge Rick Davis for making quick work of it once Mullins contacted the Judge’s office after the fire.

According to Judge Davis though, it’s ultimately not their responsibility to put up road signs on private roads.

Mullins lives on Moon Hollow which is a private dirt road in the County in the Fountain Lake area.

A fire July 16 gutted the inside of his home and took with it thousands of dollars in cash and supplies for a growing hot dog cart business he and his wife ran in town.

Moondog’s had gained popularity since March when he and his wife, Katy, bought it. It was supposed to take them through retirement. Katy even quit her job to run it when doctors diagnosed Mullins with cancer.

They made it work until the fire destroyed everything including $9,000 in cash.

“[That’s] What was left of our life savings,” Mullins explained. “We had just taken it out of cigar boxes the night before and had it stacked up on the desk.”

Mullins says they were prepared to take it all to the bank the next day.

Moon says he may not have lost everything had the volunteer fire departments been able to find his home. Before the fire happened there wasn’t a street sign.

Judge Davis says there’s a discussion about private roads happening right now because they don’t maintain them but still need them marked for emergency services. 

He says the county is conducting a survey of of every road in their 700 sq. miles to determine status and whether the road has been accepted in the past and then documented as a road. 

There’s 1000 miles of roads in Garland County plus private roads.

Several hundred dollars have already been raised to help Mullins. You can find more information on his Facebook page here.