CLARKSTON, Ga. — At least one car owner whose care burned up in a weekend fire believes it could've all been prevented.
The woman who didn't want to be identified said, "If Georgia Power had been out and changed that pole out, none of this would’ve happened."
On Saturday, DeKalb County Fire Rescue responded to a "vehicle fire" call inside the Silver Oak Apartments on Brockett Road in Clarkston around 5 p.m. Officials said high winds from severe thunderstorms caused a tree and transformer pole outside the complex to fall. This resulted in blowing the transformer that powers three of the buildings. Meters melted and a fire broke out, damaging one of the buildings, officials said.
"Georgia Power has the transformer pole back up, but it cannot reconnect it until the meters are replaced. We are working with electrical companies to help us replace the meters as quickly as possible and notify Georgia Power as soon as it is ready to be reconnected," a spokesperson with TWG Development said.
Georgia Power issued the following statement on Monday to 11Alive:
"The safety of our customers, communities and equipment is our top priority every day, and especially during severe weather like that which occurred this weekend. We can confirm that the severe storms on Saturday brought down a tree, breaking a pole that fell at this location. Crews responded to safely replace the pole and address the issue as soon as possible."
There was a high wind advisory for metro Atlanta including in Clarkston on Saturday. However, several people 11Alive spoke to at the apartment complex said the power pole snapped because it was already weak. Neighbors also said the transformer it was holding up had been leaking in the weeks prior to Saturday's fire.
The woman 11Alive spoke to said she got a call that she'll never forget, "My neighbor's girlfriend called me and said, 'Get out of the house, get out of the house.' I’m like, 'I’m not home girl.' She’s like, 'Your car is on fire. I’m like what?'"
The woman raced home – only to find the fire had spread to multiple cars outside her building.
"When I got here, I just dropped to my knees because I saw the first car then I saw my car, and I just screamed," she said.
The woman said her beloved car was nothing but charred metal.
"That was Yoda because it was my Toyota and I like Baby Yoda, so that was Yoda and now it’s not there no more," she said.
Nothing more now than a crispy Yoda.
"That’s my bread and butter and now it’s just burnt toast," she explained.
Even during this tough time, the woman still manages to laugh.
"You have to laugh in order to smile, because if not you’re going to be depressed," she said.
Not only did the fire destroy her car but it's also hurting her income.
"I do deliveries, so my car is my job. I don’t have anything now," she said.
While several neighbors lost their cars, one man let 11Alive look inside his apartment, which was right next to the cars that caught on fire on Saturday. The walls were ripped out and there was debris everywhere in his living room. He said firefighters came in and ripped the walls out to be able to get water on the building to make sure it didn't catch fire.
The building still doesn't have its power back on – forcing some residents to find a new temporary place to stay. While they're uprooted from their homes, those whose cars were destroyed are now going back and forth with their car insurance about the next steps.
This is a good reminder to drivers, who don't have comprehensive insurance coverage. Typically, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover fire-related damage to your vehicle. If you only have liability coverage, in most cases your insurance won't cover it. Neighbors in Silver Oak believe had the power pole been replaced and the transformer fixed prior to Saturday, the fire may have been avoidable.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that it was Georgia Power that sent the statement on Monday to 11Alive.
