An apparent homeless man was killed Thursday morning when the vacant home where he was trying to take shelter caught fire, trapping him inside.
Ernesto Lopez Jaime, 57, died in the blaze, which broke out at a home in the 1400 block of Gault Street, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Officer.
All of the windows of the home had been boarded up except for in one room, according to Atlanta Fire Rescue spokesman Sgt. Cortez Stafford.
“Right now, we believe that is how the male got inside the home,” he said.
That room is likely where the fire started, according to investigators. Fire officials said it appears Jaime tried to get out of the home during the fire, but couldn’t.
“It looked like the only exit for him to escape would have been through the room where the fire originated,” Stafford said.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Firefighters were called about 2 a.m., Stafford said. When they arrived, they saw thick, heavy flames coming from the structure’s windows and front door.
“First units described that they had approximately 70% of the home that had flames coming out of it,” Stafford said.
Crews weren’t able to enter the house right away due to the strength of the flames.
“There was too much fire and too much impingement of the fire for our firefighters to go in,” Stafford said. “So, they had to knock it down externally.”
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
When they had extinguished the fire enough to go inside, crews found Jaime’s body in a hallway near the center of the home, Stafford said.
“Anytime someone attempts to stay warm and they possibly lose their life for it, is very unfortunate,” Stafford said. “We have had instances like this in the past. We encourage people who are seeking shelter to go to one of the shelters downtown or in the Atlanta area instead of attempting to go into a vacant home.”
An investigation is ongoing.
