Local

3 Firefighters injured in Fayette fire

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga.,None — Three firefighters were hurt after fighting a big fire just outside of Peachtree City Saturday.

All three are expected to recover, but two were injured seriously enough to be airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital.

Fire commanders told Channel 2's Tony Thomas the two firefighters were going to be kept overnight for observation.

Officials said one firefighter suffered minor burns and both inhaled too much smoke.

A third firefighter taken to a Fayette County hospital but was released Saturday night.

All three were apparently caught in a tunnel of fire, investigators said.

Flames ripped through the large home on Platinum Ridge Point just outside of Peachtree City Saturday afternoon.

"We had some severe wind conditions that pushed the fire through the house," said Lt. Donnie Davis with the Fayette County Fire Department.

And those winds fueled flames continued to grow as the first firefighters pushed down a hallway to attack the fire.

"When the wind pushed the fire through the hallway, you're looking at a tunnel, a fire tunnel at this time, so those guys were in some severe situations," Davis said.

In total, three Fayette county firefighters were hurt with burns and smoke inhalation.

Commanders told Thomas all three were able to get themselves out of the burning structure as mayday calls went out for help.

Several hours later, fellow firefighters still poked around for hot spots as Davis showed Thomas a basketball goal several yards from the house where the backboard had melted away from the heat of the blaze.

"That just shows you that wind was taking that heat and fire and pushing it at them," Davis said. "We are a family and it really hit's close to home when one of ours gets hurt."

Residents of the house were home when the flames broke out and called 911 themselves. Investigators said they all got out safely.