FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — A fire in north Georgia is hitting close to home, according to members of the Fannin County Emergency Management Agency.
Officials said a garage and shop belonging to one of their own, paramedic, firefighter and county coroner Becky Callihan, caught fire and was totally destroyed, as well as a large amount of items inside it.
According to the department, the shop and garage fire was already critical when firefighters first arrived on the scene.
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"Multiple vehicles were involved in the fire, and several pressurized containers inside the structure posed an additional hazard to responding crews, increasing the risk of rapid fire spread and potential explosions," according to FCEMA.
The shop was about 50 feet from Callihan’s home and was already fully involved on fire. The home’s siding was already melting from radiant heat as firefighters deployed to put out the flames.
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FCEMA said crews got to work quickly to protect the house and were able to stop further damage to the home before shifting to “a fast moving ground fire that had ignited as a result of the blaze.”
Fire crews used one of the department’s new pond pumps to pull water from a nearby creek to allow for continuous water refills as they worked to suppress the fire.
While the fire was not related to outdoor burning activity, FCEMA said that due to a Red Flag Warning and dangerous fire conditions that are ongoing, they’re urging residents in Fannin County to avoid outdoor burning and use extreme caution with anything that can spark.
“Report any signs of smoke or fire immediately,” FCEMA said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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