DEKALB COUNTY, Ga —
More than 40 people are homeless after a fire tore through an apartment building in DeKalb County.
The entire building was destroyed, but fortunately, no one was hurt.
When firefighters got to the apartment complex on Bouldercrest Road, there were at least 10 people trapped on a balcony, including children and one infant.
DeKalb Fire Rescue said the flames were already advancing to the rest of the building, but their first priority was saving lives.
The first four companies at the scene went into rescue mode, catching people jumping from the top floor, and getting a ladder to the balcony to pull people to safety.
Nineteen of the 25 units were occupied and the building is a complete loss.
Firefighters did have a problem at first getting enough water pressure from hydrants at the back of the complex.
Channel 2’s Steve Gehlbach talked to two residents who are upset the fire took so long to put out.
“We just stood out here and watched for 30 to 40 minutes burn this way to other end. No water,” said resident Bryan Strong.
“I see a lot of firemen stand around, no water. Water starts, the water stops. My apartment is gutted. I lost everything,” said resident Wilburt Dawson.
But the two residents did not see the firefighters making those amazing rescues at the front of the building.
DeKalb Fire said their first job was to save lives, then try to save the property.
About Author
countyfiretactics
Curt Isakson is a 35 year veteran of the fire service. Curt is currently a Battalion Chief for Escambia County Fire Rescue. Previously worked 9 years with the Pensacola Fire Department where he was assigned as the Company Officer on Rescue 31. Curt’s fire service experiences started at a young age as a Junior firefighter with the Midway Fire Protection District and rose through the ranks to Captain. He has worked in volunteer, career, and combination departments.
Curt has held all ranks up to Battalion Chief and been assigned to operations, training, inspections, and was Chief of Special Operations for 7 years. Curt owns and operates County Fire Tactics that covers a very diverse range of fire service topics, as well as Firefighter Rescues, a site that documents rescues made by firefighters around the country.
He has annual contracts with numerous departments to provide standardized monthly training for these departments that respond daily together under an automatic aid agreement. Curt teaches nationally to include; FDIC, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World, Orlando Fire Conference, Atlanta Fire Conference, Bowling Green State University, and owns/operates the annual HROC, COBC, WOTF, CFT ODP on Pensacola Beach. He is a Florida Certified Fire Officer, Instructor, Inspector, Arson, and FLUSAR.

