A Powder Springs mother who died after being pulled out of her burning home is the latest in a string of recent victims house fires across metro Atlanta.
Teresa Elrod lived with her husband and son in the home she grew up in on Missy Way. The fire broke out late Wednesday night. Elrod’s husband was able to escape and firefighters pulled their middle school-aged son out of the front window of the home. Sadly, Elrod died at the hospital.
Hours after the fire was put out, investigators were still sifting through the charred remnants of the family home. Pat Vanantwerp and her husband, who live down the street, said they have known the Elrod family for years.
“I looked out the window and I saw Teresa’s house in flames. I ran and woke my husband up. I called her mother, panicking,” said Vanantwerp. “I cried off and on all night and all day. Such a tragic loss.”
Vanantwerp said she’s known Teresa and her family for over 30 years.
“She’s a fine young lady, she really was,” Vanantwerp said. “It was just right after Christmas, and that makes it a lot more difficult.”
Investigators said a lot of heavy fire was in the back of the home but the cause has not been determined.
Woman killed in Powder Springs fire
According to Georgia State Fire Marshall Dwayne Garriss, 117 people have been killed across Georgia in house fires this year. 19 fires happened in December, with a dozen fires sparking since Dec. 13.
Garriss said the average over the last 20 years has been 14 deaths in December months and called this year’s high casualty number “unusual.”
House fires are commonly started by space heating devices and fireplaces and discarded smoking devices. Most fires are sparked by cooking fires, Garriss said. In some cases, outdoor burning has sparked house fires as well.
People ages 60 and up are at the greatest risk of becoming fire victims, Garriss said. He encourages people to “turn to their people” to prevent fires and become informed about fire safety.
Make sure your fire detectors are in working shape. Also – “close before you dose.” Sleeping with the door closed can give an extra layer of protection against a fire.