FITZGERALD, GA (WALB) -
Investigators have confirmed that the massive fire that destroyed the abandoned old Fitzgerald Hospital building Wednesday morning is aarson.
A massive fire destroyed the old Fitzgerald Hospital early this morning.
More than two dozen firefighters fought the blaze for hours and they spent most of the day putting out hotspots.
Now, they are awaiting word from the state fire marshal on whether or not this fire was set intentionally.
Brenda Tillman says the scene she woke up to looked like something from a movie.
"I got scared, I haven't been round nothing like that I was like wow," said Brenda Tillman
Around 2:30 a.m. she was awoken by a massive fire at the abandoned old Dorminy Memorial hospital building across from her home, a blaze way too close for comfort.
"I tried to run in the house, my brother in law say you shouldn't be running in the house, you better be running out the door," said Tillman.
Not only did she watch the fire spread, but she also watched as part of the old building collapsed.
"That little tip, the tip of the building right there, the attic came down real slow," said Tillman.
"It's amazing how it run the attic, and totally took the attic off," said Tillman.
Firefighter Tim Cheney says this is the first big fire they've battled in several years.
"It's hard to pull a hose from one end to another, it's just big," said Tim Cheney, Firefighter.
Firefighters from Ben Hill, Irwin and Fitzgerald spent hours on the blaze even battling hot spots in the heat of the day.
"They did a good job, they be out here all morning, and they still out here so they doing what they supposed to do," said Cheney.
But authorities don't think this fire was accidental.
"When the firefighters initially arrived, you had two separate fires," said Cheney.
And with no electricity or lightening, it's a red flag for authorities. Officers also say the building has been a hideout spot for homeless people, drug users and mischievous kids for several years.
"The landowner, I spoke with him this morning and he says they had welded doors and they still can't keep them out," said Cheney.
Now investigators will continue to search for clues. They've questioned neighbors, but so far have no leads.
Firefighters still don't know what started the blaze.
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