Fires at 3 metro Atlanta apartments displace 45 residents

Three metro Atlanta apartment complexes went up in flames Sunday, displacing dozens of residents weeks before the holidays.

Red Cross of Georgia volunteers were called to the Dunwoody Crossing Apartments in Sandy Springs, the Austin Oaks Apartments in unincorporated Decatur, and the Wood Terrace Apartments in Doraville to assist with emergency needs. The volunteers were helping with temporary lodging, food, clothing and other essentials for 45 people forced out of their homes.

All nine residents who lived in an eight-unit apartment building at the Sandy Springs complex on Summit Place Drive were left without homes early Sunday.

DeKalb County fire crews responded to the second fire at the Austin Oaks complex about 8:20 a.m. and saw smoke and flames coming from a second-story apartment window. They were able to contain the fire damage to a single apartment at the Glenwood Road complex, but a total of eight families were displaced, authorities said. Four of the units in the 12-unit building were vacant, according to the Red Cross.

DeKalb crews were called to another fire about 6:15 p.m. at the Wood Terrace Apartments off Dawson Boulevard, the I-85 frontage road. Flames were shooting from the roof of one building, DeKalb fire officials said.

The building was quickly evacuated, and crews were able to contain the fire before it spread to a breezeway, officials said. Two units were damaged by the flames, while four others were damaged by water.

Nine families, about 22 people, were displaced in Doraville, a spokeswoman for the aid organization said in a statement.

“In the days ahead, caseworkers will be following up with the families to provide additional resources that will help with their recovery,” Sherry Nicholson said. Anyone wishing to support the Red Cross mission can donate at www.redcross.org/gifts.

All three fires remain under investigation.