Fire Displaces Watkinsville Family

Red Cross volunteers assisted a Watkinsville family of two after a fire consumed their townhouse at 245 Elliot Circle around 4 p.m. on Saturday, officials reported.

When Oconee County and personnel arrived on the scene within four minutes of a 911 call, the fire was about 90 percent involved, said Mark Melvin, deputy fire chief.

Twenty-nine fire and rescue personnel responded in three engines and a ladder truck along with Rescue, Squad, National EMS, and an air and light unit, he reported.

The flames destroyed the unit, but firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze before it could spread to other townhouses in the multi-family structure, Melvin said.

No one was injured; however, fire personnel were exhausted from battling the blaze in the 95-degree heat of the afternoon, he said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Melvin said on Tuesday.