Follow us on

Sunday, May 19, 2013 | 3:58 p.m.

Powered by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Web Search by YAHOO!
 

Posted: 1:47 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012

Atlanta apartment complex fire displaces 10 people; pot found growing in 1 apartment

Related

Midtown apartment fire photo
CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM
Krystal Sepulveda (left) and Chelsea Sitten (center) help a fellow resident (who declined to be identified) salvage personal belongings outside his gutted home after an early morning fire at Victory Apartments in Atlanta destroyed two buildings on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012.

By Fran Jeffries

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A space heater may have started an early morning fire at a Midtown apartment complex that displaced at least six families, authorities said.

Investigators found marijuana plants growing inside one of the units at the Victory Group Apartments on Peachtree Place.

The Red Cross is assisting eight adults and two children who were displaced by the fire, which broke out around 3 a.m., police said.

Investigators said one of the apartment residents had been using a space heater.

The man, who would not give his name, told Channel 2 Action News that he was using the space heater that caused the fire. He said he lost everything. He said his wife of 40 years died three years ago and now every sentimental treasure from their life together was gone.

“First units arrived on the scene. There was a fire reported on unit 6 on the first floor,” Atlanta Fire Battalion Chief Bryant Tate told Channel 2.

“I just heard people banging on the door screaming, ‘Help.’ That’s all I could hear and when I opened the door, it was just pitch black dark,” resident Brittany Watkins told Channel 2.

As emergency personnel made sure everyone was out safely, they found marijuana plants growing in buckets in one of the apartments.

Investigators have not said if an arrest has been made for the marijuana plants, according to Channel 2.

More News

 

Today on MyAJC.com

Highway rules

Your commute: Rules for new highway lanes could breed confusion

The lanes are designed to offer choice and efficiency for metro drivers, but the AJC reports they could also confuse drivers and cause accidents.

Minor leagues cast an allure of their own

Things to do: 3 minor league stadiums close to Atlanta offer family fun

Today's Go Guide takes you to the home fields for the Gwinnett Braves, Rome Braves and Chattanooga Lookouts -- and offers ideas on how to enjoy them.

Jeff Schultz

Jeff Schultz: A few legitimate concerns about the Braves

Sports columnist Jeff Schultz admits that it's still early, but he points to some hiccups for the home team.

Mark Arum Weekend Construction outlook

Updated every Friday, Mark Arum tells us where we can find construction, events and anything else to slow us down on the roads this weekend.