9 people displaced, firefighter OK after East Point house fire burns home
Family displaced after fire destroys home
An early morning East Point house fire destroyed a family's home. A firefighter was briefly trapped while trying to put out the flames. FOX 5's Rey Llerena has the story.
EAST POINT, Ga. - An intense house fire tore through an East Point neighborhood early Saturday morning, destroying a family's home and leaving them looking for a place to stay.
What we know:
An early morning fire burned an East Point family's home to the ground, leaving its walls caved in, and a car destroyed in the driveway.
Neighbors reported waking up to the sound of police officers banging on doors as flames ripped through the structure along May Apple Lane.
During the intense firefight, a wall caved in and temporarily trapped a firefighter inside. Medics checked out the firefighter at the scene, and officials reported that no injuries occurred.
Firefighters confirmed everyone inside the home at the time got out safely, but nine people have been displaced from their home.
The American Red Cross was called to assist the family that had been displaced.
An early morning fire burned an East Point family's home to the ground, leaving its walls caved in and a car destroyed in the driveway (FOX 5 Atlanta).
What they're saying:
Neighbor Prentis Brown captured cellphone video of the flames from his home.
"I look out the window in the guest room, and I see all the flames and stuff," he said. "I remember I saw, like, the gas and stuff coming from the car and the flames. It was crazy, and when you get to the other street, you can even still smell the smoke and see everything."
Brown said neighbors stepped in quickly to support the mother when she arrived at the scene, offering water and comfort.
He also shared words of encouragement to the family, saying, "Keep your head up and things get better. You know, things happen, and we bounce back from it like we always do. If you made it this far, you'll make more."
What we don't know:
East Point Fire Rescue has not yet determined how the fire started.
Officials stated that the cause of the fire is still actively under investigation, and they have not released details on where inside the home the flames originated.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from East Point fire officials, who provided details on the firefighter rescue and displacement figures, as well as on-scene reporting from FOX 5 reporter Rey Llerena, who spoke with neighbor Prentis Brown and other local residents.