A recent fire that damaged two apartment units in Banks County, just south of Alto, has been ruled as accidental. According to statements from Todos Mis Nietos, LLC, the owners of the property, the fire originated from possibly a cleaning rag left on top of an electrical wall heater by the previous tenant.
The incident occurred on December 14 at 5490 Yonah Homer Road in Alto, with the blaze breaking out around 4:43 p.m. A passerby noticed smoke coming from the building and promptly called 911.
Cleaning rag
The property owners explained that the previous tenant had recently cleaned the apartment and unintentionally left a cleaning rag on one of the electrical wall heaters. When the electricity was restored to the unit, the wall heater ignited the rag, leading to the fire.
The property had undergone recent renovations, with Georgia Power connecting the electricity shortly before the incident. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident.
Quick response time
Banks County Fire and Emergency Services responded to the call, aided by the proximity of fire units that were already in the area for another call. According to Banks County Chief Steve Nichols, the quick response and the availability of a fire hydrant directly in front of the apartment building played crucial roles in containing the fire and minimizing damage.
Chief Nichols stated, “The apartment building could have sustained more damage had fire units not been nearby.” The units were able to respond immediately as they were only a few doors down from the affected building when the passerby reported the smoke.
Upon arrival, firefighters swiftly evacuated the building and successfully contained the fire to an interior bedroom and a small area in the attic. Nichols emphasized that the timely response contributed to limiting the damage to the two apartment units.
Property insured
The property owners confirmed that the damaged property was insured. Despite the unfortunate incident, the combination of recent renovations, a quick response from emergency services, and proper insurance coverage should aid in the recovery process for Todos Mis Nietos, LLC.
No one was injured in the fire.
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