LAGRANGE, Ga. — Three people were injured in a fire while one person still in critical condition after LaGrange firefighters battled two house fires at the same time on Thursday.
Firefighters were called to the burning homes as one crew responded to a home off Cato Street, while the other was sent to another home off Render Street, according to a news release from the LaGrange Fire Department.
Firefighters quickly put out the fire at Cato Street, which started from a faulty electrical wire. While the first fire was relatively easy to extinguish, the second was much harder, fire officials said.
When firefighters arrived, the fire had spread throughout the house, with flames shooting through the attic. Firefighters said they were able to get inside the home, but walking across parts of the yard was impossible.
A power line fell, exposing live wires near the home. Firefighters were able to put out the fire and rescue three people from the burning home. All three were taken to the WellStar West Georgia Medical Center, officials said. Currently, one person is in critical condition, according to the release.
The first home didn’t receive any structural damage, while the second one was deemed a total loss. Investigators believe the second fire was caused by “combustibles [being] too close to a heating source,” according to the release.
The LaGrange Fire Department is urging residents to make sure their space heaters are kept at least three feet from combustibles. Heaters should also be directly plugged into an outlet.
The South Fulton Fire Department also provided some tips about keeping your home safe during the freeze. Residents are urged not to use candles for heating or to build fires outside of fireplaces. For more safety tips, click here.