A Brookhaven apartment building was already empty Friday morning when a massive fire broke out, sending smoke and flames shooting through the roof.
Hours earlier, authorities evacuated the same building at the MAA Brookhaven complex off Caldwell Road when a smaller fire started on the ground floor just before midnight. The fire Friday morning was more destructive but did not result in any injuries, according to DeKalb County fire spokesman Capt. Dion Bentley.
Investigators are looking into the possibility the two fires are related.
“It could be a lot of reasons or causes, but it’s too early for us to give any details as to why we responded back,” Bentley said.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
The second fire was reported just before 7 a.m. Kalyn Kolaski said she woke up for work and heard a distraught woman talking on the phone outside her door. She later realized she was calling 911.
Kolaski’s apartment is 20 feet from the building that burned, she said. She was not evacuated Thursday night, but she said Friday’s blaze threatened her home.
“I started hearing all these fire trucks,” she said. “That’s when I went and ran outside and that’s when I saw — it was huge. I just kept standing outside and it just kept spreading, and the roof collapses.”
Bentley said the fire had broken through the roof by the time the first fire crews arrived. The building, which contained 24 units, was significantly damaged, he said. He was not sure if any pets were left behind.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
“Thankfully they got it under control, because I can’t imagine losing everything,” Kolaski said. “So many people just lost everything they owned.”
According to the American Red Cross, 41 people lost their homes as a result of the two fires. The organization was working to provide temporary lodging, food and other assistance to the displaced residents.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
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