ATLANTA — Dekalb County Fire Rescue crews spent several hours working to make sure a fire that destroyed an apartment building in Decatur was completely out Sunday morning.
Fire officials and the Red Cross say it impacted several units - but didn't hurt anyone. There are now six families and 24 people being assisted in the wake of the fire, the Red Cross said.
Capt. Jaeson Daniels of Dekalb Fire Rescue said they've been able to trace the origin of the fire.
“So far our preliminary investigation has turned over that it did start in a particular unit," he told 11Alive's Erica Murphy. "We don’t know what the exact cause was as of yet, but we’re working to get to the bottom of it.”
Dekalb fire and rescue crews were called out to the scene around 3 a.m. Sunday morning.
In all, eight units were burned in one building.
“We’ve given everyone blankets that asked for them," a Red Cross official said. "Some of them may get assistance financially and they are getting food and snacks at this time.”
Capt. Daniels said despite several units being involved in the fire, the layout of the building made it easier for crews to work on.
“This is obviously a large scale incident when you’re talking about fire, but it's no different than a house fire for us," he said. "Actually it’s a little bit easier if you think about it, because everything is compartmentalized."
Fire crews were on the scene for several hours making sure all the hotspots were put out. Red Cross officials say everyone who was displaced has a place to go, but this time of year keeps their team very busy.
“In the winter time, fire season gets a big bump because people are using heaters and faulty wiring that starts coming on," the official said.
An investigation remains ongoing into the cause of the fire.
Villas at Decatur Fire
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