Investigators probing suspected arson fire that damaged Athens apartment
An apartment in Athens was heavily damaged by fire late Tuesday afternoon in what police said may be a case of arson.
A 40-year-old man who Athens-Clarke police consider a suspect was removed from the location and transported to a local hospital for an evaluation.
Police were called shortly after 6 p.m. to Chalfont Lane in a neighborhood of apartments and condos off Mitchell Bridge Road to assist the Athens-Clarke County Fire Department.
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A fire department battalion chief arrived at the scene and found heavy smoke coming from the two-story apartment with flames visible through the windows, according to fire Capt. Nate Moss.
Firefighters entered the building and “made a rapid extinguishment of the fire,” keeping the blaze to a single room, Moss said.
After a police officer arrived, he reported the battalion chief advised him of a man standing nearby who was holding sticks of burning incense.
“’The male was screaming things that did not make sense,” the officer reported. Earlier in the day, police had responded to the location in regard to the same man making threats to burn down the building, according to the report.
The officer detained the suspect and found him in possession of two lighters.
The officer discovered the man was temporarily living with his sister in the apartment and she told the officer that her brother needed help and that she believed the fire probably started by accident. The officer had the man taken to a hospital.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Moss said.
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“We are thankful that no injuries were reported. We would like to remind all of our community of the importance of having working smoke alarms,” he said.
Police said two nearby homes suffered water damage.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens apartment heavily damaged in suspected arson fire
