Decatur man killed in fire at home without power

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A man was killed in a fire Wednesday morning at a DeKalb County home with no power due to Irma.

The blaze broke out after 6 a.m. Wednesday on Appomattox Drive. Firefighters pulled the victim out of a second-story window but were unable to revive him.

“I was just over here yesterday. I brought him some food because he couldn't cook and he was hungry,” said daughter Franca Tweedy.

Tweedy sad she was keeping a close eye on her father, Wendelle "Frank" Bailey, because he was 74, lived alone, and had no power, following Tropical Storm Irma.

Wednesday morning, she got the call no loved one wants to receive. Firefighters said they pulled her father, a veteran and retired postal employee, from his home.

Mr. Bailey's daughter has an idea of what happened.

“It was preventable,” she said. “Because I feel like he was probably trying to light up his house. He had been without power for almost 3 days.”

Fire officials confirmed the entire neighborhood in south DeKalb County was still without power late Wednesday, but said it is too early to talk about a cause.

Tweedy said her father, who loved people and never met a stranger, had lived in the home almost four decades and has plenty of elderly neighbors around him.

“Why has it taken so long for power to be restored to not just this subdivision, but this community? This entire south DeKalb community?” she asked.

A Georgia Power spokesperson said the utility company is doing its best.

“Our thoughts and prayers certainly with the family...I never want to hear something like that. We are working hard to get the power back on... working around the clock. It's an unprecedented storm to have the statewide impact it has had,” said John Kraft, Georgia Power.

Firefighters urge people without power to find somewhere else to stay. They said if you have to remain in your home, make sure you have working smoke detectors and a planned escape route in case of emergencies.

Firefighters also recommend using flashlights instead of candles but said if you do use candles be very cautious. They also reminded those with generators to keep them outside of the home.

MORE: Irma's impact in Georgia