Fire remains under investigation

A man called 911 after returning home and finding his Price Street residence in flames.

Deputy Chief Bryan Bullock was the first firefighter to arrive at the scene. At the time of his arrival, heavy smoke and fire was visible in the rear of the residence and through the roof.

Engines 1, 3 and 6, Med 1 and Battalion 1 also responded to this fire.

“After forcing entry through the front door firefighters were able to make a very aggressive and fast interior attack on the fire,” said Barrow County Fire and Emergency Services public information officer Lieutenant Dakin. “Since they were able to make this kind of attack firefighters were able to make a very quick knockdown on the fire.”

The residence suffered extensive damage due to the amount of fire prior to arrival of crews. Firefighters remained on the scene for several hours completely extinguishing the fire and performing salvage operations. The resident was displaced by the fire.

Barrow firefighters were dispatched to another residential fire on Dec. 10.

Engines 1, 3 and 6 along with Med 6, Battalion 1 and car 2 responded to an apartment fire in the Oak Hill apartment complex on East Wright Street.
First arriving crews found heavy fire in the apartment.

“Firefighters made a fast attack on the fire and were able to bring it under control within minutes of arriving,” Dakin said.

Due to the lack of fire hydrants, Winder Engine 1 also responded to the scene to assist Barrow County Emergency Services with shuttling water for the attack crews. Two adults were displaced as a result of this fire.

According to fire investigators, embers from a fire in the fireplace ignited some nearby plastic.

“Again we want to remind citizens to use caution when using a fireplace,” Dakin said. “Citizens need to clean their chimneys and also they need to keep any flammable products at least three feet away from any heat source such as fireplaces.”