Abandoned building gutted by massive fire in Toco Hill
A large fire engulfed an abandoned building near a busy DeKalb County shopping center and shut down a major road Tuesday night.
The fire could be seen shooting flames and thick, black smoke into the air from the structure at the edge of the Toco Hills shopping center on North Druid Hills Road, DeKalb Fire Captain Dion Bentley confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The building used to house a business called Reggie’s Hairstyling but has sat empty and graffitied for many years.
Crews arriving at 9 p.m. had to go into defensive mode to knock down the flames, fire officials said. North Druid Hills Road was shut down between Lavista and Clairmont roads while firefighting efforts were underway.
Once the fire was out, officials were able to confirm the building was vacant. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
About the Author
Henri Hollis is a reporter and restaurant critic for the Food & Dining team. Formerly a freelance writer and photographer with a focus on food and restaurants, he joined the AJC full-time in January 2021, first covering breaking news. He is a lifelong Atlantan and a graduate of Georgia Tech.
