A blaze leapt from one home to another in a dense subdivision in Henry County Saturday, destroying seven homes and damaging seven more, fire officials said.
The fire forced more than two dozen people from their houses, according to Channel 2 Action News.
"There's a lot of kids here and thank God everybody got out safe," said neighbor Linda Broadie, who said she believes the closeness of the homes aided the fire's spread.
The fire began in one home and quickly ignited others in the Flippen Woods subdivision in Stockbridge, near Watercress Court and Goldenrod Drive, fire officials said. Flames were shooting from four homes' attics when firefighters arrived and the tops of several of the two-story homes were completely gutted, according to Channel 2 Action News.
The owner of the home where the fire began told Channel 2 that he heard a popping noise and realized his home was on fire. He rushed everyone out of the house. Within minutes, it was engulfed.
Fire officials said the high temperatures and low humidity made the challenge of fighting the fires more difficult. The cause of the blaze, however, had not been determined, a fire official said Sunday.
Temperatures reached a high of 106 degrees Saturday in metro Atlanta.
Some of the damaged homes suffered from radiant heat.
Clifton Jeffries told Channel 2 his roommate needed medical help for heat exhaustion after escaping the house.
"The top floor is just totally gone," Jeffries said. "There's nothing else there."
The Red Cross offered assistance to 25 people. Residents on Sunday assessed the damage and expressed gratitude that the fire claimed property, not life.
"I just thank God that my boys are all right," said James Hudson. "I thank God that each family out here is all right. We each have somewhere to go."
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