Historic Old Fourth Ward Dairy Queen heavily damaged by fire

ATLANTA - A longtime Atlanta Dairy Queen that closed just months ago was heavily damaged by fire early Wednesday in the city's Old Fourth Ward.

What we know:

The fire broke out at the former restaurant on North Avenue, which had operated for roughly 60 years before closing. By daylight, much of the building was a burned-out shell.

No injuries were reported.

Firefighters spot flames while on another call

What they're saying:

Atlanta firefighters said they were responding to an unrelated call at the nearby Clermont Hotel around 1:40 a.m. when a crew passing the Dairy Queen noticed flames coming from the building.

The original call turned out to be unfounded, but firefighters were only about two blocks away when they discovered the fire.

"We had one unit come by this route, come past and noticed that we had a working fire here at the abandoned Dairy Queen," a fire official with the Atlanta fire department said. "Luckily, it was two blocks away, so we had a real timely response."

Firefighters were already attacking the flames around the time the first 911 call about the fire came in.

Crews were able to bring the fire under control and keep it from potentially spreading to an apartment building behind the former restaurant.

Possible squatter investigated

What we don't know:

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Firefighters said the building appeared to be vacant, but investigators found indications that someone may have been staying in an upstairs loft area.

Crews searched the building but did not find anyone inside. Authorities believe whoever may have been staying there was able to get out before firefighters searched the property.

Investigators have not said whether that person, if located, could be connected to the cause of the fire.

AtlantaNews