Clayton County fire chief defends removal of teens from church basement

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - Clayton County Fire officials held a press conference on Friday to discuss the recent discovery of a dozen teens found living in the basement of a local church.

In late July, officials removed the teens between the ages of 15 and 18 from the Now Faith Apostolic Church in the 3000 block of Rex Road.

SEE MORE: Pastor disputes fire safety allegations amid evacuation of foster teens

What we know:

The Clayton County Fire Marshal's Office inspected the site on the same day the kids were found, officials said previously. During the inspection, the church's director reportedly told officials the church was being used as a boarding site for teens in the custody of the state Division of Family and Children Service (DFACS).

"The scene raised immediate concerns regarding the facility’s occupancy use and fire code compliance, prompting notification of the Clayton County Fire Marshal’s Office for further investigation," firefighters said in a statement at the time of the removal.

Officials issued five citations to the building's owner for issues involving fire safety systems, exit requirements, and "general requirements for board and care."

Because the church was not zoned to house the youths, DFACS was called to help with the relocation efforts.

What they're saying:

On Friday, Chief Tim Sweat revealed that crews were initially called to the church after a 911 report of a young female injured during a possible altercation. When a paramedic and nurse practitioner arrived, they found evidence that youths were living in the building. Fire marshals confirmed the church’s basement had been converted into living quarters for minors without approval or proper safety measures.

"We acted strictly on the presence of fire code in which we are authorized," said Chief Tim Sweat of Clayton County Fire and Emergency Services.

According to county officials, the church violated multiple fire codes. Deputy Fire Marshal Chris Cameron said, "Not one single required fire code provision for a board and care home facility was met."

Sweat said that the basement lacked a sprinkler system, fire alarms, smoke detectors, emergency lighting, fire extinguishers and safe exits. Several windows used as secondary escape routes were boarded over, hallways were blocked, and combustible materials were stored near the kitchen and electrical panels. Meals were also being cooked on site without required suppression systems.

At a news conference, fire officials displayed photos of the violations. They included windows covered with wood, making them unusable during an evacuation; rooms without fire suppression systems; and the absence of a mechanism to automatically unlock doors in case of a fire.

"Every safeguard that protects life in a fire detection, notification, suppression and safe egress was absent," Cameron said.

Sweat also said that state officials confirmed they had not authorized the relocation of the children to the church, despite claims by the facility’s director and owner. Clayton County reportedly determined the building’s zoning and business licenses did not allow it to operate as a care home.

Clayton County officials emphasized the decision was based solely on life safety concerns and the facility’s failure to meet fire code standards, not on living conditions inside.

Commissioner DeMont Davis said the church still plays a role as an emergency shelter when needed, but Commissioner Chairwoman Dr. Alieka Anderson-Henry emphasized that "they have to follow the state rules, especially when children are involved. We’re going to take care of children definitely first."

The other side:

Last week, Senior Pastor Dr. C.H. Braddy told FOX 5’s Christopher King that the state fire marshal’s office authorized the church to temporarily house the teens after their licensed treatment center in Riverdale flooded. County officials said that is not true.

After the teens were removed, the leaders of Now Faith Apostolic Church said that the 12 teens were "temporarily" relocated to the church due to a flood at their licensed treatment facility.

Church leaders described the youths as "survivors of extreme trauma that includes long-term hoteling due to a lack of placement availability for treatment and severe abuse."

"The facility at Now Faith Apostolic Ministries meets the state’s standards for emergency housing, and these youth have not – at any point – been placed in harm’s way," the statement read.

The church said it is working to address the citations and operate under state and local guidelines.

When asked last week if there was a serious fire hazard, Braddy responded, "No, I don’t see it being a serious fire hazard. There’s adequate ingress and egress." 

What we don't know:

FOX 5’s efforts to reach him again Friday were unsuccessful.

What's next:

The citations issued against the church will be reviewed by the county’s code enforcement board next month.

Clayton CountyNewsHousing