Caroline Silva
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(TNS)
A huge fire broke out Monday evening at a vacant building in Midtown, sending thick smoke over several city blocks and causing power outages for thousands of residents.
Fire crews were called to the building near 12th Street and Peachtree Walk around 8:30 p.m. and found a heavy fire in the middle of the structure, Atlanta fire spokesman Capt. Slatton told reporters from the scene. The fire proved too intense for firefighters to attack it from the inside, and they moved into a defensive operation, he said.
The name of the building has not been confirmed by authorities. No one was reported injured, and stability concerns have prevented investigators from going inside to determine how the fire started.
“Most likely it would probably be vagrants that have occupied the building and possibly started the fire. Just an assumption because there is no power to the building,” Slatton said.
Large plumes of smoke could be seen billowing over Midtown for hours Monday night. A nearby restaurant was evacuated as a precaution, but Slatton said the property was not in any danger of going up in flames.
More than 2,000 residents in Midtown experienced power outages for about an hour after Georgia Power was asked by Atlanta fire to cut power in the area to aid in safely fighting the blaze, Georgia Power spokesman John Kraft said.
Crews were still putting out hot spots Tuesday morning.
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