Neighbors evacuated after Brookhaven home catches fire

Neighbors were forced to evacuate after a home in Brookhaven caught fire Thursday morning.

It is not clear if the fire started inside the residence in the 2600 block of Apple Valley Road or if something outside caught fire. Neighbor Tony Gordon said he called 911 after he also saw grass and a fence on the left side of the home on fire.

“I was having coffee in the kitchen and I looked out the window and saw flames shooting out of the roof,” he said.

Families in both homes were able to make it out without any injuries, according to a DeKalb County fire official. The fire destroyed a garage that was converted into a living space.

A garage that was converted to living space was destroyed in the fire on Apple Valley Road, according to DeKalb County fire officials. JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

“One of the challenges with this fire was the location of it,” fire Capt. Dion Bentley said. “We had a big fence they had to cut through, and also when they got inside there was a lot of electrical popping and things of that nature.”

Neighbor Tony Gordon said he saw flames shooting 8 to 10 feet above the roof, and the fence and grass on the left side of the home were also on fire.

Firefighters had to get the electrical concerns out of the way before they could attack the flames, he said. The cause and the origin of the fire is still under investigation.

Bentley said crews made the call to evacuate both homes on Apple Valley Road because of their proximity. Two dogs in the charred home also made it out OK.

“The flames were so high, I thought the trees would catch on fire,” Gordon said. “Everybody’s fine. It’s just an ugly morning.”

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