Woman, multiple pets killed in 'very fast' Forsyth County mobile home fire

Woman, pets killed in Forsyth fire

A woman and her pets perished in a mobile home fire on Wednesday morning. A neighbor witnessed the flames in the early morning hours. 

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - A woman in her mid-50s and her pets died early Wednesday morning after a fast-moving fire gutted a mobile home on Setting Down Road.

‘It burned very quickly, very fast'

What we know:

Fire crews responded around 5:15 a.m. to a single-family mobile home in the 5000 block of Settingdown Road. The roadway was closed between Hampton Park Road and Bottoms Road for several hours as crews worked the scene. The road has since reopened.

The blaze left behind only charred wood and melted siding on the home's foundation.

"It burned very quickly, very fast," said Division Chief Jason Shivers of the Forsyth County Fire Department.

Fire crews arrived to find the home engulfed, but they were unable to reach the victim in time. Shivers said the woman was found just inside the front door.

"She was not able to get out," Shivers said. "Fatal fires are always awful. Your mind immediately goes to ‘what would that be like if that was my family member?’"

Multiple pets also died in the fire.

The woman’s body has been transported to the GBI Crime Lab for examination, which officials said is standard procedure in fire-related deaths.

‘A big ball of light’

What they're saying:

Neighbor Jacqueline Del Villar said her family was jolted awake by the sound of sirens. At first, they were unsure what was happening.

"We looked out of our back window and the house was all up in flames," Del Villar said. "It was just like a big ball of light really. It was really scary... just frantic."

Del Villar remembered her neighbor fondly, noting, "She was a really nice lady."

Were there smoke detectors?

What we don't know:

No other injuries were reported. While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, Shivers noted it is unclear if the home had functioning smoke detectors.

"Working smoke alarms, properly placed, properly within date and with batteries in them are critical to getting you out of your home during the night when your asleep," Shivers said.

Authorities have not yet released the victim’s name. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner’s office is expected to conduct an autopsy.