ATLANTA — An investigation is underway to determine what started a fire that destroyed a house in southwest Atlanta, killing two people.
Atlanta Fire Rescue crews responded just after 4:15 a.m. Sunday to a house along Valley Ridge Drive, near Cascade Road and I-285. Fire officials said flames extended the length of the one-story brick house.
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“We have noticed that there was fire involvement in the vehicles, in the garage, we noticed propane tanks on the back that were a hazard,” Atlanta Fire Rescue Captain Andrew Anderson told Channel 2’s Bryan Mims. “We have noticed fire in the attic, on the first floor and in the basement, so we just need to wait for our investigation to be complete.”
Harold McLester said his son was one of the two victims, identifying him as 49-year-old Nicolas McLester.
He said his son lived alone in the house and didn’t know who the other victim was.
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He described Nicolas as “a wonderful son” who had two grown children and two grandchildren. Family members told Channel 2 Action News that McLester worked as a delivery driver for Federal Express and was a die-hard Atlanta Falcons fan.
A woman identifying herself as McLester’s niece told Mims that it’s a devastating loss.
“It hurts, his family is definitely in pain,” she said. “He definitely will be missed.”
Neighbors, who did not want to be interviewed, described McLester as a friendly, outgoing, and hardworking man who was close to his family. His parents live in the same neighborhood.
Several neighbors described hearing booms before the house was engulfed. Another described what sounded like fireworks just before the fire.
Fire officials said at one point, the flames grew so intense in the basement and attic that firefighters had to retreat and take a defensive posture. They did what’s called a blitz attack, beating down the flames with high-volume streams of water until conditions improved.
The flames burned away most of the roof and turned the interior into charred rubble. Investigators are working to identify where the fire started and what caused it. The name of the other person killed has not been released.
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