A devastating fire at Clarkston Oaks Apartments on Northern Avenue has left five people hospitalized and many more displaced, according to DeKalb County fire officials and local reports. The blaze raged through the multi-story building yesterday evening, with DeKalb County fire crews responding to heavy smoke and flames, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. The incident has resulted in at least 50 individuals, including 15 children, suddenly finding themselves without a home.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire swiftly, but not before it wreaked havoc, causing all of the buildings' 32 units to suffer damage, thus making it more difficult for the residents, many of whom, as neighbors indicated, are refugees from Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq, Atlanta News First noted. Among those affected, three children were taken to the hospital for burns or smoke inhalation, with two additional individuals, including another child and one adult, treated for similar injuries.
Residents banded together with resident Asadulla Momand he recounted how neighbors rushed to warn others by knocking on doors to ensure everyone's safety, saying, "We tried to call everybody, ‘Just come out there’s a fire.' We tried to talk in their language. They just understand that something is happening and they needed to leave the apartment," he told FOX 5. More than 10 DeKalb County Fire Rescue vehicles were present at the scene to combat the fire. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.
