Gusty pre-dawn winds turned two separate house fires in DeKalb County into stubborn battles for firefighters Monday, sending crews hustling across Decatur neighborhoods. The blazes hit homes on Pinehurst Place and Columbia Crossing Drive, and while residents escaped without major injuries, firefighters spent the early hours working to secure both scenes.
At the Pinehurst Place home, DeKalb County fire officials said two people were inside when flames broke out. Both made it out and were evaluated for smoke inhalation, and crews turned to aerial water streams to knock down persistent hot spots, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. Firefighters stayed on scene into the morning as investigators worked and crews kept an eye on nearby houses to make sure embers did not cause new problems. Officials told reporters the causes of both fires are still unknown.
Winds Whip Up Extra Danger
The overnight forecast did firefighters no favors. Northwest winds over the Atlanta area were gusting into the 30s, conditions that can toss embers around and make hose-line work unpredictable, according to the National Weather Service. Those gusts forced crews to adjust tactics and lean on aerial streams at times so they could reach flames from a safer distance.
Earlier in the morning, firefighters had already been sent to a house fire on Columbia Crossing Drive. No major injuries were reported there either, and the American Red Cross was called in to help families displaced by both blazes, according to FOX 5 Atlanta, which said its crews were on scene as the emergency calls came in.
How DeKalb Firefighters Roll Out
DeKalb County Fire Rescue, an ISO Class 2 department with about 26 stations spread across the county, handles a heavy call volume and relies on specialized equipment and mutual-aid partners when wind or building layout complicates suppression, according to DeKalb County Fire Rescue. That capacity helped firefighters keep nearby homes protected while they worked on stubborn hot spots at Monday’s scenes.
Incidents like this are not unusual during breezy, dry spells. Hoodline previously reported a Pinehurst Place blaze that sent a man to the hospital last March. Investigators with the DeKalb fire marshal’s office were again on scene Monday and have not released official determinations on what sparked either blaze. Anyone with information is asked to contact DeKalb County authorities.
