Firefighters this morning were called back to the scene of a house fire in Alto after it reignited.
They responded to 226 Misty Meadows around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. It’s the same location where fire gutted a house yesterday.
Habersham County firefighters were initially called to the scene around 4:28 p.m. Monday, October 7. When they arrived they found heavy smoke coming from the basement of the 6100 square-foot two-story brick home.
The homeowner told firefighters he had plugged up a battery charged to his lawnmower in the basement about 45 minutes earlier. He said he was upstairs watching tv when the alarm company called him to tell him a fire alarm was going off. That’s when he found smoke and fire coming from the basement and called 911.
The fire moved quickly to a covered porch above the basement and then into the attic, says Habersham County Emergency Services Director Chad Black. “We had to set up a water shuttle operation due (to) a long driveway and hydrant location,” he says.
White County brought in two 3,000 gallon tankers and Hall County provided assistance with a 2,000-gallon tanker truck. The Lee Arrendale Fire Brigade also assisted on the call. Firefighters were unable to save the home. Black says the roof collapsed into the second story. The basement and first floor sustained water damage. He says “the house is pretty much a loss.”
Firefighters remained on the scene for five hours Monday. They returned ten hours later when the flames reignited.
Black says the home was valued at around $375,000 and was insured.
