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Five dead, including 4 children, in DeKalb County house fire

By WSBTV.com News Staff
By WSBTV.com News Staff

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County fire investigators are trying to figure out what caused an early morning house fire that claimed the life of a woman and four children at a home on Del Rio Terrace.

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Channel 2′s Christian Jennings spoke to a woman who was friends with the victim’s landlord. Renae Francis said the family in the house was renting the house from her friend. Francis was asked by her friend to come to check on the home.

“It was really scary walking through the house especially walking through the kids room it was just like it’s heartbreaking. You know even the dog passed away,” Francis said.

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Jennings also spoke with the woman who owns the home, the landlord said she spoke to the victims husband who lived at the home but was out of town working.

“He’s really going through it. I send my condolences out to him and the family. But I would say really honestly keep the husband in your prayers because just imagine that being you,” the landlord said.

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Dekalb County fire investigators say they believe the woman and the 4 young children… may have died of smoke inhalation. They were all sleeping in the same bedroom. Investigators believe the fire started in the front living room area.

Next door neighbor Laura Toney says she realized her neighbor’s home was on fire, when she woke up to her dog barking.

“When I came out the house was in flames and full of smoke. Couldn’t see a lot. And when I came out they were bringing the adult body out. And so I told them there were babies in the house small kids. So they went in through the sides. I’m proud of the firemen,” Toney said.

The medical examiner’s office has not yet released the name of the victims or their ages.


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