Everyone, even trapped cat, survives Toco Hill apartment fire

By Ty Tagami

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Firefighters helped residents escape a blazing apartment building near Toco Hill unscathed Friday.

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Multiple DeKalb fire units responded to a three-alarm fire at the Williamsburg Apartments near Toco Hill Shopping Center.

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They also rescued a cat that was stuck on the top floor of the 5-story building.

"Last I heard, the cat was doing fine," said Assistant Chief Winfred Smith of the DeKalb County Fire & Rescue Department.

No one was injured in the blaze at the Williamsburg Apartments, he said. It started just before noon in the kitchen of a fourth-floor apartment.

The resident squirted the grease fire with a fire extinguisher, but the walls caught fire and flames rose up into the attic, Smith said.

Seven units were damaged by fire or by the firefighters who had to knock down walls and ceilings to attack the conflagration.

It was under control within 45 minutes, but hours later, at around 4 p.m., firefighters were still on the scene watering hot spots.

Smith said inspectors were looking at the roughly three dozen units in the building at 1130 N. Jamestown Road to determine whether any were still habitable.

"I think it was a senior citizen-type home," Smith said. He said the Red Cross was on scene to help the displaced.

The building is in a leafy area southeast of the intersection of Clairmont Road and North Druid Hills Road, north of Decatur.