SPECIAL TO THE ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
At approximately 2 a.m. Monday morning, June 15, Santuck Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire with fire in the attic in the 7700 block of Georgia Road.
Santuck Fire responded with three engines, three tankers, one rescue truck, and 19 firefighters. The first units on the scene reported smoke visible making this a working fire. Initial units on the scene quickly laid a line to the rear of the structure where they found fire burning in the attic at the eave of the house.
Crews knocked down the fire from the exterior, and made entry to the residence to finish extinguishing the fire. Once inside, multiple crews worked in tandem to place salvage covers over furniture to try and protect as much as possible, while the fire attack crew worked pulling the ceiling down to gain access to the seat of the fire.
The quick and efficient actions of the initial crews on scene saved the structure from total loss as attic fires are very hard to get under control due to the open space in most attics. The fire was quickly placed under control, and minimal damage was contained to the room of origin. All occupants were out of the fire upon arrival, and a quick search of the structure took place for two dogs that were located and successfully returned to the owners.
Upon further investigation of the origin of the fire, the homeowner said a bird had built a nest on top of the light fixture on the back porch. This is a good reminder that lightweight combustible materials located on or around a heat source are not a good idea, no matter the location.
