Fire burns commercial building near Avondale Estates

By Ty Tagami and Kent D. Johnson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

No injuries were reported in a Sunday afternoon fire that damaged a strip shopping center in south DeKalb County.

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Kent D. Johnson, kdjohnson@ajc.com DeKalb County firefighters battle a blaze Sunday afternoon at Columbia Drive and Memorial Drive.

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Kent D. Johnson, kdjohnson@ajc.com Fire and police officials closed a one-block stretch of Columbia Drive as a fire burned at Lee Ho TV repair shop and a neighboring building.

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Kent D. Johnson, kdjohnson@ajc.com The fire engulfed half of a one-story brick building at 1230 Columbia Dr.

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At least 15 fire trucks and light fire vehicles responded to the blaze that started before 5 p.m. and engulfed part of a one-story brick building at 1230 Columbia Dr.

The trucks closed a portion of Columbia Drive just south of Memorial Drive, shutting the Columbia entrance to the Belvedere Shopping Center south of Avondale Estates.

Firefighters remained on the scene until after 10 p.m., according to DeKalb dispatchers.

It's unclear what the burning portion of the building housed, but the unburned portion is home to a business called Lee Ho TV.

DeKalb County Assistant Fire Chief Rob Summers said Sunday evening that it was unclear what ignited the fire. Arson investigators were on scene waiting for the fire to be doused so they could enter the building.

The fire department got its first report of the blaze at 4:41 p.m. and arrived at the scene within three minutes, Summers said. Firefighters called for backup in what ultimately grew to a 3-alarm blaze. It was still burning as he spoke just after 7 p.m.

Summers said the buildings were unoccupied and that the steamy weather compounded the difficulty of the situation.

Firefighters  were rotating into the building on quick shifts to fight the blaze before they were dispatched to the shade to rest and drink water.

"This heat really takes a toll on the firefighters," Summers said.