DALTON, Ga. -- A woman who was cooking breakfast at home while a fire was blazing in her attic is "lucky to be alive," said Chief Bruce Satterfield of the Dalton Fire Department on Tuesday.
He emphasized the home at 900 Hillcrest Drive had no smoke or fire alarms.
"The wife had awakened about 3 in the morning and smelled a faint odor of smoke and opened a window," he said. "When the woman's husband came home from work around 8 a.m. smoke was pouring out the attic. She escaped, but there was a good bit of damage."
Satterfield said a faulty fireplace appeared to be the culprit, but the blaze is still under investigation.
Saturday afternoon, firefighters answered a call at 2103 Tibbs Road at Legacy Apartments. They found a fire which caused "extremely heavy damage" in a bedroom where it was determined to have started, and heavy heat damage throughout the unit.
The cause is undetermined and the fire is still under investigation, but initial damage to the apartment was around $25,000, and $6,000 on the contents, Satterfield reported.
Local American Red Cross officials said members of the Northwest Georgia Chapter's Disaster Action Team, a group of specially trained volunteers, helped the affected family with food, shelter and "emotional support." During the last year, the Northwest Georgia Chapter responded to 230 fires.
"As we continue to provide support to those affected, we also encourage others to take action to minimize the risk of a home fire," said Chapter Executive Director Jeffrey Putnam.
The Red Cross recommends that families have smoke alarms on every level, including bedrooms, and create a fire escape plan that includes a meeting spot at a safe distance from the home.
For more Red Cross fire safety and preparedness information, visit www.redcross.org/homefires. To make a financial donation to help people affected by house fires and other disasters, visit www.nwgaredcross.org, call (706) 291-6648 or text the word Redcross to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
