Early Morning House Fire Blamed on Hot Water Heater

No one was injured when fire broke out at a Hight Drive home in the early morning hours on July 1, but the utility room to which to the flames were confined was damaged.

According to Oconee County Fire Chief Bruce Thaxton, two nearby volunteer firefighters were on the scene within two minutes of the 12:37 a.m. call, and they knocked the fire down with an extinguisher before the first engine truck arrived.

Inside the utility room was a washer and dryer, but the cause was narrowed down to the water heater, Thaxton said.

In all,  20 firefighters, two engines, Ladder 1, Squad 1, Rescue 1, and National EMS responded. There were no injuries.

Firefighters used a dry powder extinguisher and a small amount of water to put out the fire, Thaxton explained.

Though the utility room was damaged, the rest of the house was spared. Firefighters used a positive pressure fan to remove light smoke from the inside of the home, he said.