Family displaced by fire

No one was at home when the fire started just after 2:30 p.m. in the 1500 block of Cardinal Lane, according to a press release.

When firefighters with the Barrow County Fire and Emergency Services arrived, the attic and roof of the two-story structure already were filled with smoke and flames.

“Our crews started an initial defensive attack due to the collapse of a portion of the roof,” said Lt. Scott Dakin, the fire department’s public information officer.

It took firefighters about 45 minutes to gain control of the fire. Although the flames were contained to the upper area of the house, the first floor had water and smoke damage, the press release states.

American Red Cross representatives assisted the family of five at the scene. The fire department also offered the services of its Children After the Fire program, which provides counseling and other services to children after a fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Fire Investigation Unit.