One Firefighter Remains Hospitalized in Druid Hills Mansion Fire

Four Atlanta firefighters were injured fighting a two-alarm blaze Tuesday near the Druid Hills County Club, and one remains hospitalized with burns.

The fire damaged a 6,000-square-foot mansion-like home in the 800 block of Lullwater Road off of Ponce de Leon Avenue that was undergoing renovation. The historic home built in 1922 had been vacant for nearly 12 years.

Honora Handley and her husband purchased it in December and were supposed to move in this weekend, they told WGCL TV.

"It was our dream home, we had wanted this house for a very long time," said Handley.

As firefighters worked to extinguish hot spots, a portion of the ceiling collapsed trapping a firefighter, said Atlanta Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Chris Wessels.

"He was trapped under that debris for about ten minutes. We activated our RIT which is our rapid intervention team and it took about three crews of firefighters to get him free, but he was able to come down the ladder under his own power," said Wessels.

The injured firefighter suffered second-degree burns on his back and legs and remains in the hospital.
A second firefighter who injured his ankle trying to free his fallen crew member was treated at a hospital and released.
Two other firefighters suffered minor injuries. 

Federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives are working with the Atlanta Fire Department to determine the fire’s cause.