Man trapped in home dies in ‘extreme’ fire sparked by kerosene heater, officials say
A 59-year-old man died trapped inside a burning Georgia home, firefighters say.
Crews responded just before 11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, after a resident reported the fire and said a family member was still inside, according to Paulding County Fire and Rescue.
It happened in unincorporated Douglasville, where firefighters arrived to find the home fully engulfed in flames, officials said in a news release. In the front yard, crews were met by a “distraught” man who told them he did not think his stepson made it out of the house.
Firefighters began to search for the trapped man but said “extreme fire conditions” prevented them from going inside. Additional crews arrived to help douse the flames.
Once the blaze was under control, firefighters found the man with severe burns. He died at the scene, officials said.
Authorities haven’t released his name pending notification of kin.
Investigators believe the fire was caused by a kerosene space heater that was accidentally knocked over, according to the release.
Temperatures dipped into the 20s ahead of an Arctic blast bringing cold, wintry conditions to parts of north Georgia and the Atlanta area.
Multiple counties, including Paulding, were under Winter Weather and Wind Chill Advisories as of Tuesday, Jan. 16, according to the National Weather Service.
Douglasville is about 20 miles west of downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published January 16, 2024 at 11:50 AM with the headline "Man trapped in home dies in ‘extreme’ fire sparked by kerosene heater, officials say."