Two people were hospitalized Saturday after a fire ripped through their DeKalb County apartment building.
The blaze at the Highlands at East Atlanta apartment complex — located at 2051 Flat Shoals Road near Decatur — broke out around 1:40 p.m. When DeKalb County firefighters arrived, flames were already shooting through the roof of the affected 10-unit building, Capt. Eric Jackson said.
The rapidly growing fire meant the water pressure from one hydrant wasn’t sufficient, Jackson said, and crews had to use a second hydrant on the opposite side of the building.
“The one hydrant we were pulling off of just wasn’t enough,” Jackson said. “There wasn’t enough pressure to satisfy what we needed to put out all that fire.”
It took firefighters about an hour to bring the blaze under control, Jackson said. Eight apartments suffered “significant” fire damage, while the remaining two sustained water damage.
The residents of all 10 units were displaced. The cause of the fire was under investigation.
Two residents were taken to the hospital to be treated for “minor” smoke inhalation, Jackson said.
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