14 displaced after third fire at same DeKalb apartment complex within 9 days
Four families were displaced after a apartment complex in DeKalb caught on fire for the third time since Nov. 12, authorities said.
A fire around 9 p.m. Tuesday displaced 14 people from the Portofino Apartments in Clarkston, DeKalb County Fire Capt. Dion Bentley told AJC.com.
Despite the displacement, he said the building’s structure saw little damage from the fire because firefighters were able to quickly locate the source of the fire.
“Today’s fire was where you can see it, and we could make a direct attack on the fire,” Bentley said. “But the other ones, we’re responding to the smoke, and we have to find it.”
A fire broke out at the same complex on Thursday and started in a first floor furnace, the department said on Twitter. The fire was quickly put out.
Nov. 15th 1:20 p.m. 1250 Brockett Rd.
— Dekalb County Fire Rescue (@DCFRpubaffairs) November 15, 2018
DeKalb Fire responded to an apartment fire with heavy smoke pushing from the roof. The fire was located in a first floor furnace which extended to the second floor through void spaces. Thankfully, crews where able to quickly locate the fire. pic.twitter.com/OZlZ68MqMK
On Nov. 12, six people had to be rescued by firefighters after a fire started, the department tweeted.
No one was injured in any of the blazes, but Bentley said people were displaced in each incident. He wasn’t able to provide the number of people displaced on Thursday or Nov. 12, but he said it was less than the 14 displaced Tuesday.
November 12th 7:15 p.m. 23’s immediate
— Dekalb County Fire Rescue (@DCFRpubaffairs) November 13, 2018
Units responded to an apartment fire at the Portofino Apartments on Brocket Way in Clarkston. Crews were able to evacuate 6 people who where unaware the building was on fire. They were also able to quickly control the spread of the fire. pic.twitter.com/4Ng69cOo9P
Bentley said the department is displacing the residents because the power is turned off at the units so they can investigate the causes of the fires. He said investigators haven’t found evidence yet to link the three fires.
“The building’s aren’t as damaged as your typical fire,” Bentley said. “We’re displacing people because we don’t want people to be back in a building where it can happen again.”
Tuesday night’s fire is the latest incident to displace at least a dozen people in DeKalb County since Friday.
On Monday, 27 people were displaced from the Thornberry Apartments in Panthersville after a fire burned through six units, AJC.com previously reported. No one was injured in this fire either.
MORE: 27 displaced after fire burns through 6 DeKalb apartments
More than 20 PEOPLE now have nowhere to call home following a large fire at a DeKalb County apartment complex.
— Audrey Washington (@AudreyWSBTV) November 19, 2018
The story, coming up on Ch. 2.@wsbtv @DCFRpubaffairs pic.twitter.com/yO2V0hSUwR
On Friday, 80 residents at The Reserve at Brookhaven Apartments lost their homes after a floor collapsed about two feet, AJC.com previously reported. This incident displaced 23 families.
RELATED: 80 DeKalb residents lose home when apartment floor collapses
Georgia Red Cross spokeswoman Ashley Henyan said the nonprofit is assisting everyone displaced in these incidents.
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About the Author
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
