Two houses sustained some fire damage recently, but were not a total loss due to quick thinking of the people who reported the fire and quick response by fire fighters, according to Putnam County Fire Chief Thomas McClain.
A driver traveling along U.S. Hwy. 441 North on Sunday, June 17, noticed smoke coming out of a house and called 911 around 2:30 p.m. Firefighters from both Putnam County Fire Department and Eatonton Fire Department responded to the call, McClain said. The residents of the house were not home.
No flames were scene when they arrived, only smoke; and the firefighters were able to contain the fire to the bedroom in which it had originated. McClain said the fire stemmed from a battery charger that was in the room.
“It happens more than you’d like to think about,” he said of chargers causing fires.
The bedroom was “completely damaged,” McClain said, but the rest of the house was saved. “The bedroom door was closed,” he explained. “Closing your door can save a lot of damage in the case of a fire, and can save lives if someone is home.”
The other fire took place at a home on Turtle Court on Thursday, June 30. McClain said the fire damage was limited to the kitchen. He said county firefighters got there in a matter of minutes and quickly had control of the fire, which he said was started by some items cooking on the stove.
The fire happened around 6 p.m., and two adults and two children were home, but they escaped safely and called 911. No one was injured, including firefighters.