2 found dead after fire breaks out in NW Atlanta church

2 found dead in abandoned church fire

Local and state arson investigators are looking into a fire at an abandoned church in northwest Atlanta where crews found two people dead inside. It started on Cameron Madison Alexander Boulevard on Tuesday night.

ATLANTA - Two people were found dead Wednesday morning after an overnight fire at an abandonded northwest Atlanta church, officials say. 

The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department says the fire started shortly before 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the church on the 600 block of Cameron M. Alexander Boulevard.

When crews got to the scene, they found the building engulfed in flames. 

Bodies found following NW Atlanta church fire

Two people have been found dead after an overnight fire at a northwest Atlanta church, officials say. An investigation is now underway. Brittany Edney reporting.

The fire was so intense that crews were unable to complete a search immediately. After getting the flames under control, firefighters were able to get into the building and found two bodies. "Conditions were so bad because there was already a partial roof collapse before we got here, so we had to work this fire defensively, which means we had to work it from outside," said Anare Holmes of Atlanta Fire Rescue.

"Two victims, two unhoused individuals had been using this former church as a place of shelter. We know the gender of one of the victims was a male, we do not know the second victim," said Holmes.

Multiple agencies, including the ATF and the state fire marshal's office, responded to the scene and are participating in the investigation.

At this time, officials have not released any information about the bodies found after the fire, including how they died.

Two found dead after fire at Atlanta church

Fire crews found the body of two people inside a northwest Atlanta church that had caught on fire late Tuesday night.

Residents in the area admit this road attracts a lot of folks looking for shelter.

"People just use these abandoned houses to sleep in to just get out of the air," said resident Terry McCrary. "This has been going on for so long, people are just use to it, I guess."

Additionally, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.