Owner of burned home in Madison arrested as fugitive in June

By Nate Giarnese

A nearly completed Eidelweiss home that burned to the ground Thursday is owned by a Massachusetts man extradited in June to Arizona as a fugitive from justice.Fire officials say foul play is not suspected in connection with the 9 p.m. fire that broke out at the partially built home of John Lounge, located at the dead end of Eben Farm Road.Madison police and Carroll County Sheriff's Department deputies arrested Lounge, 67, of Avon, Mass., on June 10, at his town-permitted building lot on the dirt road. Lounge was wanted in Maricopa County, Ariz., for jumping bail on three drug charges, including sale and transport of marijuana. He allegedly sent a box of marijuana in the U.S. Mail, Madison Chief of Police John Pickering said after the arrest.Lounge, who lived part-time in a trailer on the rural, wooded lot, told rescuers Thursday night the home was almost complete and that he planned to move in soon.He called firefighters when the blaze erupted, according to Madison Fire Chief Sean Dunker-Bendigo. The fire remained under investigation on Monday, but the chief said it "did not appear intentionally set." Power was supplied to the property by a generator, the chief said. Madison Police are not investigating, Pickering said.Lounge could not be reached in person Monday at his trailer on the Eben Farm lot, just off Route 113 near Boulder Road.The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said Lounge was released from jail there in July on $10,000 bond on three felony charges, and was due back in August for a court hearing. The office could not provide further details on his case.