By Ryan Houston - bio | email
ALBANY, GA (WALB) – The bitter cold has increased the fire danger as South Georgians struggle to heat their homes.
There homes have burned in Dougherty County in two days because of chimney fires.
At 7:00 Tuesday morning, Firefighters responded to a house fire at 200 South Davis. Neighbors had to rescue the man sleeping inside, when they spotted flames around the chimney.
The blaze started from the fireplace, then spread to the wall, by the time it reached the roof firefighters had it under control.
Hope Elliot was asleep in the home, when his neighbors knocked on the window and woke him up just in time. He said he started to fight the fire himself until Firefighters arrived.
Although most of his belongings are gone his just happy to be alive.
"When the neighbors woke me up, I started to fight the fire myself. Next thing I know the fire department was here," he said.
"We had a fire get into the attic. It started from the fireplace while a gentleman was trying to stay warm," said Battalion Chief James Ambrose.
Firefighters say Elliot's home was a complete loss.
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