DeKalb County

74-year-old dies in house fire after spending days without power

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Firefighters are looking into what started a fire that killed a 74-year-old man Wednesday morning.

DeKalb County firefighters said they got the call around 6:40 a.m., and when they arrived, flames were shooting from the home on the 2500 block of Appomattox Drive in Decatur.

A woman, who asked Channel 2 Action News not to use her name, said her father, Wendell Bailey, was the one who firefighters pulled from the house.

Bailey died from apparent smoke inhalation.

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The woman told Channel 2's Liz Artz his power had been out since 2 p.m. Monday because of Tropical Storm Irma and he had been using candles as a light source.

She said she tried to save him.

"I started banging on the door screen," she said.

She called him a great man who still protected her, even though she is an adult.

“He was a great father. I actually had a new job I was starting Monday. I had to go to South Carolina for training, and he was going with me because he didn't want me traveling by myself,” Bailey’s daughter said.

Firefighters said this is an ongoing investigation and they don't have an exact cause yet.

They do want to warn people that they should never leave candles burning throughout the night and generators should be in a well ventilated area.

Cox Media Group

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