Isaac Hayes Former Memphis Mansion fire under investigation

The family who owns the mansion that was ravaged by fire Wednesday night lost another home to fire more than one year ago. Those fires are now part of the same investigation. It was just after 6 p.m. when Chopper 5 captured the exclusive video of the massive house fire on Riveredge Drive in unincorporated Cordova. At least 11 engine companies and more than 70 emergency workers battled the flames. Despite the efforts, the home, which was once owned by the late great soul man Isaac Hayes, was a total loss. "We got our guys up close to the seat of the fire but the fire load was just too great, a lot of hot gases up inside the house," said Brent Perkins, Memphis Fire Department. All that is left of the 7,200 square foot estate is a burned out shell. Hayes paid $1.3 million for the estate in 2002. It fell into foreclosure by the time the current owners, Kenneth and Doris Peters, bought it for about $324,000 almost exactly one year ago. The Peters are not strangers to the neighborhood. Their previous home used to sit on an empty lot just down the street. It, too, burned to the ground just over one year ago. By Thursday, fire officials refused to release any information about what caused the fire at the Peters' former home. According to a fire department spokesperson, the two fires are now part of one investigation. Fire officials have not indicated suspicion of foul play in either of the fires. They did say it would be a challenge to determine a cause for the Hayes' mansion fire because the damage is so extensive and there is so much debris to sort through. Source: Memphis WMC-TV/BackinMemphis