Fire at NW Atlanta apartment building leaves 1 dead

A fire at a northwest Atlanta apartment building left one person dead Tuesday morning, according to officials.

The blaze was reported around 6:40 a.m. at a complex in the 1400 block of Joseph E. Boone Boulevard. When firefighters arrived, there was heavy fire in the first- and second-floor units of the A building, Atlanta fire Battalion Chief Derek Hullander said.

One person, who has not been identified, was found dead on the first floor, Hullander said. Another person in a next-door unit needed treatment for smoke inhalation. That person appeared to be stable when treated.

A portion of the building had previously been boarded up, but the rest was occupied, Hullander said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, he added.

“This is our job as professionals,” he said, addressing the death and its impact on the crew. “We will, after this is over with, have a debriefing and have supportive services for them.”