By Joe Johnson
A house on Tallassee Road was destroyed by fire Thursday afternoon.
Firefighters searched the structure but found no victims in what was believed to be an abandoned house, according to Capt. Nate Moss od the Athens-Clarke County Fire and Emergency Services Department.
According to Moss, firefighters responded at 4:49 p.m. to a reported fire at 443 Tallassee Road at 4:49 p.m., and upon arrival they found the single-story, wood frame house was “100 percent involved in fire.”
All responding units operated from the exterior of the structure with multiple hose lines to pour water on the flames, Moss said, and after the fire was extinguished enough for crews to make entry, firefighter conducted a search for possible victims and to control hot spots.
Moss noted that firefighters spent a great deal of time searching for hidden fires in walls and the ceiling to make sure the fire was completely out.
“The biggest challenge with this fire seemed to have been the unseasonably high temperatures,” he said. “Because of the heat, crews had to rotate working assignments often and regularly rehabilitate.”
He said the cause of the fire was unknown.