Late night fire destroys Hall County house

GAINESVILLE - Fire destroyed a home just before midnight Monday night off Atlanta Highway in Hall County.

Fire Chief David Kimbrell said the house was fully involved in flames when firefighters arrived in the 200 block of Second Street. Under a mutual aid agreement, Gainesville firefighters were first on the scene because of the home's proximity to a city fire station.

Kimbrell said neighbors saw flames and made the call. Because of the volume of fire, Kimbrell said crews took a defensive mode, but were able to quickly knock down the blaze.

"Fortunately the wind was not blowing. The houses are close, but once they got there, the units were protecting the outside of the houses on either side," Kimbrell said.

Hall County Fire Marshal Scott Cagle said that four people were inside the house at the time, and they all escaped with no injuries. Cagle said the three occupants were renting the home and they lost all of their possessions. The fourth person was a visitor.

Cagle said the American Red Cross is assisting with housing and clothing.

An investigator was expected back on the scene Tuesday morning to sort out the cause, according to Kimbrell.

The Second Street location is closer to town, and is not the street by the same name in Chicopee Village.