A 71-year-old woman died Sunday morning after a fire swept through a southwest Atlanta home, officials said.

The fire started in a rear bedroom at a home on Waters Road, according to Atlanta Fire Rescue spokesman Sgt. Cortez Stafford. The accidental blaze was caused by a misplaced cigarette, he said.

The fire severely damaged the home, authorities said. Five adults were able to escape the home, but 71-year-old Gloria Mayes died of her injuries, officials said.

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Flights are shown cancelled on a screen at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport domestic terminal in Atlanta on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. Cancellations at the Atlanta airport got worse over the weekend, as about 370 flights were canceled Saturday and about another 470 more by Sunday. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

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Passengers wait at a Delta check-in counter at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. It was the first day the Federal Aviation Administration cut flight capacity at airports during the government shutdown. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com