Body found under debris after fire at abandoned DeKalb church

The abandoned church building  on Parkdale Drive was fully engulfed in smoke and flames when crews arrived Monday afternoon, according to DeKalb County fire officials.

Credit: DeKalb County Fire Rescue

Credit: DeKalb County Fire Rescue

The abandoned church building  on Parkdale Drive was fully engulfed in smoke and flames when crews arrived Monday afternoon, according to DeKalb County fire officials.

A body was found in the charred remains of an abandoned DeKalb County church that went up in flames Monday afternoon.

DeKalb County fire Capt. Dion Bentley told AJC.com the body was not discovered until after the fire was contained and crews were checking for hot spots at the church building off Parkdale Drive in Scottdale.

The church was fully engulfed in smoke and flames when crews arrived around 12:30 p.m. Concrete blocks across the road made it difficult for firefighters to access the structure.

“It was an abandoned church on an abandoned road,” Bentley said. “The street had grass growing up through the asphalt.”

The discovery was made about four hours into firefighting efforts.

Investigators don’t know how the person came to be inside the church or how they died, Bentley said. Their identity is unknown Tuesday.

“Everything is still under investigation,” he said.

— Please return to AJC.com for updates.

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