Macon Ga Hotels

Lightning likely cause of blaze that gutted Bibb apartments

Nineteen of the charred and now water-damaged apartments -- part of the Northwood Apartment Homes complex at 6229 Thomaston Road -- were occupied.

“We’re pretty convinced it was a lightning strike,” said Cliff Rushin, an assistant fire chief with the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department. “(The fire) got up in the attic and the wind just whipped it on through there.”

Two firefighters were injured battling flames in the fire, which started during a thunderstorm about 7:45 p.m. The injured firefighters -- Jamarco Hughes, who hurt his knee, and Travis Voronee, who hurt his wrist -- were putting out “hot spots” on the second floor of the building when the floor partly gave way, Rushin said.

Hughes and Voronee were treated at a Macon hospital and released. No residents were hurt.

“Everybody got out, thank God,” fire Capt. Stephanie Burke said.

Northwood, a complex almost 20 years old and not far from the south entrance to Lake Wildwood, sits about two miles northwest of the Ga. 74 interchange at Interstate 475.

Smith said several of the residents displaced by the fire had the financial means to support themselves following the fire. For those needing help, Red Cross employees and volunteers arranged for emergency shelter at hotels and provided food allowances and clothing.

The residents were required by the apartment complex to have renter’s insurance, and the complex will have the ability to relocate many of them, she said.

But the need for assistance will continue in the days and weeks ahead as residents need referral letters to replace driver’s licenses, Social Security cards and get emergency supplies of life-sustaining medications, Smith said.

Lightning is also suspected of causing a house fire on Waverly Lane in Bibb County about 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Bibb County deputies, REACT volunteers and detention center inmates worked to remove trees and debris off roads, particularly in the Zebulon Road and Wesleyan Drive area and in western portions of the county near Interstate 475, said Sgt. Sean DeFoe, a sheriff’s office spokesman.

“It was a busy night,” he said.

Bibb County Public Works crews also cleared trees from Forest Hill Road, Sheraton Drive, Arkwright Road and Columbus Road, among others, County Engineer Ken Sheets said.

Trees also were toppled in scattered areas of Macon, said Shawn Fritz, the interim Macon Public Works director.

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