MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WTVY) – The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) labels a WTVY report regarding the cost of repairs to a burned veteran’s home “misleading.” However, the published information came directly from official state documents.
“It’s disappointing to see misleading information presented to the public, especially concerning the care of our veterans and the responsible use of taxpayer dollars,” said ADVA Commissioner Jeff Newton.
The issue arose after a fire on April 16 heavily damaged the CSM Bennie G. Adkins Veterans Home in Enterprise.
RELATED: Crews battle fire at new veterans home in Enterprise
Despite the ADVA’s “misleading” claims, a document emailed to news media from the State Health Planning and Development Agency on Thursday morning showed an estimated $102 million needed for the home’s “remediation, repair, and restoration.”
Additional documents posted online by the agency corroborated that amount.
“Renovations and repairs to the Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins State Veterans Home are a complex project with many moving pieces. We encourage all media outlets to verify facts,” the statement said.
WTVY sent a request for comment at 12:27 p.m. on Thursday but did not publish the article until 4:49 p.m. that same afternoon. The agency did not respond until late Friday, when it issued its scathing statement, apparently to numerous media outlets.
The State Health and Planning Agency did not return a phone call seeking additional information made early Thursday afternoon.
“The amount provided on the application was specified with the intention to ensure all repairs are covered for the facility, which cost approximately $115 million. The application was submitted prior to reconstruction estimates, which should be finalized in the coming weeks,” said the statement.
However, multiple reports put original construction costs of the facility at $60 million, and the state documents showed repair costs at 70 percent more.
In the days after nursing facility burned, Miller criticized reports that a work crew accidentally ignited the fire, but, like this time, never said the reports were inaccurate.
The City of Enterprise later said the fire was an accident without providing additional information, and three months after the fire, nothing further has been made public.
In response to a public document request for investigation results, a State Fire Marshal’s spokesperson said the report is incomplete on Thursday.
WTVY submitted a similar request to the City of Enterprise, whose heroic firefighters battled the blaze for days.
About 90 veterans were displaced by the fire, with the home, per state paperwork, not expected to reopen until 2027.
Subscribe to our News 4 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning. Get instant notifications on top stories from News 4 by downloading our mobile apps.
Copyright 2025 WTVY. All rights reserved.