Unexplained fire investigated, Dublin chief talks about importance of smoke alarms, fire evacuation plan

Officials are working to determine to cause a fire at a Dublin home without active electricity. Four people escaped the blaze despite the residence having no fire alarms and an obstructed doorway.

Dublin Fire Chief Matthew Cutler said they received a call around 1:19 a.m. Thursday, June 18, about a house fire at 719 Cardinal Circle.

“When we got the call they were trying to get everybody out,” Cutler said. “There were four occupants in the home and they had no working smoke alarms so the fire was well developed before anybody realized there was a fire in the home.”

The flames blocked the primary exits and the four people had to climb out of two different windows.

“Thankfully, they were able to get out unharmed before we arrived,” Cutler said. “I think they will be able to potentially redo this house.”

It was a wood framed house with four bedrooms. The cause remains under investigation. The state fire marshal’s office was contacted. The chief said local investigators were also looking into the blaze.

“The house had no power at the time of the fire,” Cutler said. “That rules out electrical right of the bat. We had fire where there shouldn’t have been fire. We are trying to work through that and figure it out. It could have been a whole lot different. Thankfully, somebody woke up and realized there was a fire, because if they hadn’t, things would have been bad.”

Cutler stressed the importance of every house having working smoke detectors. The  fire department offers battery operated smoke alarms to residents.

“Even if you don’t have power to a house, these will work,” he said. “The smoke alarm is your defense against fire or smoke at night. These alarms should be tested every six months.”

This house only had two doors. One was through the garage, which was used as a storage area.

“That blocked off their secondary means of egress,” Cutler said. “You always need to make sure you have two ways out of a house. While speaking to some of the occupants this morning, who were renting this house, I told them that wherever they go next or stay, make sure you have working smoke alarms. This fire could have been different and we could have had four fatalities. When they realized the house was on fire, it was bad. It was coming for them.” 

The American Red Cross supplies local fire departments with smoke detectors. They can take the alarms to those who need them at no charge. 

Anyone with information about this fire, or would like to have a fire alarm installed, can call the Dublin Fire Department at (478) 277-5030. If people believe they have information about a suspicious fire, they can call the State Fire Marshal’s Georgia Arson Control hotline at 1-800-282-5804. They can also text the information to the Dublin Police Department’s Crime Text at (478) 595-7279.