A southeast Bulloch County family is receiving comfort and aid today after a fire raged through the attic of their home early Sunday morning, leaving the residence unlivable.

Fire Prevention Chief Joe Carter with the Bulloch County Fire Department said Engine 7 from the Brooklet Fire Station arrived on the scene of the home on Bennett Grooms Road at 1:06 a.m., 11 minutes after a 911 call was received about a fire inside the home.

"The caller said she was on the phone when she saw flames in the attic," Carter said. "She said she woke three family members up and they all went outside."

Carter said the firefighters at the scene found a "heavily-involved structure fire and initiated a fire attack and made entry."

Engines from the Leefield and Stilson stations joined the fire suppression effort about five minutes later. An engine from the Statesboro Fire Department also arrived at the two-story home, which is located on Bennett Grooms Road, a dirt road off Arcola Road and about three miles north of Highway 80 East.

Carter said the crews were able to contain the fire, but it did significant damage to the attic and roof. He said his initial investigation of the cause of the fire shows it "most likely" started in the attic area.

"We feel like there was a fire in the fireplace and through some mechanism, it was able to extend from the flue pipe into the attic portion of the house and it did significant damage," he said. 

"Unfortunately, the flue pipe is down, so it would be impossible for me to say with 100 percent certainty that, yes, it had a break in the flue pipe. But we believe some mechanism allowed it to extend into the attic and it extended from there."

Carter described the actual fire damage in the house as "minimal," but the fire "ran the entire attic. The top of the rafters were burned."

None of the family members inside the home suffered any injuries or smoke inhalation and no firefighters were injured in the knockdown, Carter said.

"Certainly, very fortunate," he said. "This always is a good reminder that every home needs working smoke detectors. Also, to use caution when burning in your fireplace."

If county residents have any questions about installing smoke detectors or checking their batteries, they may contact the Bulloch Fire Department at (912) 489-1661. Statesboro residents may contact the SFD at (912) 764-3473.

The local chapter of the American Red Cross, along with the Bulloch County Fire Department and the Statesboro FD’s Community Assistance in Fire Emergencies team is assisting the family in the initial aftermath of the fire. Contact any of those organizations if you would like to help.