Several Decatur residents will need a temporary place to stay after a fire broke out Wednesday morning in the basement of their two-story apartment building.
The blaze began about 8:30 a.m. at the intersection of East Ponce de Leon Avenue and Sycamore Place, said Vera Morrison, deputy chief of the Decatur Fire Department. No one was injured the fire, but several units were damaged by the smoke.
When crews arrived, they found smoke coming from the bottom corner of the 12-unit brick building, she said. The fire appeared to have started in the basement and most residents had already managed to get outside.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
“They were able to get in there really quickly and knock the fire out,” Morrison said, adding that DeKalb County Fire Rescue also showed up at the scene to assist.
Jason Fenimore said he was getting ready for work Wednesday morning when he heard beeping outside his apartment. At first, he thought one of his neighbors forgot to change the battery in their smoke alarm.
“I opened the door and I saw this billow of smoke at the top of the hallway come wafting down,” said Fenimore, who has lived in the building about two years.
He alerted his neighbor before heading outside and waiting for crews to arrive. Though he left his belongings behind, Fenimore said it was fortunate the fire had a relatively small impact and that no one was injured.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
“It’s an old building. I think it was built in the ’60s,” he said. “As you can see, it’s probably seen better days.”
Officials said eight residents were displaced in the fire and that three of the units were vacant. The exact cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
Volunteers from the American Red Cross responded to the complex and are assisting the displaced residents, agency spokeswoman Sherry Nicholson said.
“We provided assistance for immediate emergency needs — essentials like temporary lodging, food, clothing and personal/health items,” she said. “Our caseworkers will follow up in the days ahead to help with recovery next steps.”
Credit: American Red Cross of Georgia
Credit: American Red Cross of Georgia
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