STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — A family of seven was forced into the chilly temperatures by a house fire in Stone Mountain early Sunday morning.
DeKalb Fire crews responded at about 3:30 a.m. to a home on Elm Ridge Way.
When they arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from the rear of the structure.
According to DeKalb Fire Capt. Dion Bentley, the homeowner told firefighters that all seven members of the family inside the home, including children, were able to escape unharmed before crews arrived.
Bentley said that firefighters were able to limit damage to the area of the home where the fire appears to have originated. Homeowner Jean D'Eau says the top floor section above the garage fell into the garage itself.
Bentley said the cause of the blaze is not known at this point.
"Working out in the bitter cold is something for firefighters -- it's what we do," Bentley said, when asked about how firefighters deal with the the cold weather. "In Georgia, in the South, it's not like it is in the North, but you do have to prepare for the elements. And when you're out here for a couple of hours working, first you go inside a fire and you're sweating -- then, when you come back outside, your body starts to cool down. So it gets really cold, because you're dealing with water."
D'Eau says he was awakened by his children, who said they smelled smoke. He says he got everyone out of the house safely before fire crews arrived. He said he had to run back inside to grab a robe for his daughter, but everyone was safe.
"Everybody came out good," D'Eau said. "The damage can be replaced. It's just a blessing that everyone made it out safe. The firefighters, they got here real fast."
D'Eau says it was a blessing that the fire happened on the weekend instead of during the week.
"The kids were still up, playing Monopoly. If it had happened during the week, everyone would have been asleep," D'Eau said. "Those two rooms that caved into the garage -- that's where my kids sleep."
Crews from the American Red Cross were summoned to provide aid to the family. No firefighters were hurt while battling the fire.