An Eatonton man is believed to have been killed in a housefire, authorities say.
Eatonton Police Department received a call around 10:11 p.m. Friday that a house at 247 Jenkins Court was on fire, according to Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell.
Officer Tommy Williams responded and could see evidence of a fire but could not enter the house because the doors were locked. Firefighters with the Eatonton Fire Department arrived and forced entry into the Housing Authority home, where they found Raymond Harrison, 77, already deceased, according to Cardwell.
The smoke and flames were contained to the bedroom of the brick house, Cardwell said. The cause of the fire is unknown, but Harrison had a cigarette lighter in his hand and the responders noticed cigarette butts in other rooms of the house, he added.
The city of Eatonton has not had a fire chief since Chief Eugene Hubert retired in August.