PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A fire at a Paulding County home claimed the life of 59-year-old man Saturday evening, according to fire officials.
A resident made a call to emergency operators, reported the fire and informed them about a trapped family member inside the home.
The tragedy took place at 588 Florence Road in unincorporated Douglasville around 10:56 p.m. According to officials; the devastation happened when a kerosene space heater was accidentally knocked over.
Once emergency crews got to the scene, they found a distressed resident in the front yard. The resident told crews he wasn’t sure if his stepson could get out in time before the home fully engulfed in flames.
Fire officials said as crews attempted their search and rescue efforts, the fire conditions made it difficult to access the inside of the home.
Once firefighters gained access to the home and shortly after they put the fire out, they found the man inside the home dead with severe burns.
The State of Georgia Fire Marshal’s office was called in to investigate the fire. 11Alive has reached out to the Paulding County Medical Examiner’s office to learn more about identifying information about the victim.
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