Woman killed in house fire
ERIC PEREIRA/ The Northeast Georgian
Several fire units were called to contain a house fire that lead to one death and a total loss of the home.
BY ERIC PEREIRA
An intense house fire in the south end of Habersham County on Monday led to the death of 64-year old Cynthia Clayton and a total loss of the home.
Clayton’s body was discovered Monday afternoon and confirmed by the Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King. The fire occurred at 1689 Heads Ferry Road.
The cause is believed to be accidental as of Tuesday morning. “More than likely, the fire was the cause of death, but we will not know for certain until there is an autopsy,” according to Austin Gibbons, Special Assistant to Commissioner King.
“When Habersham County officials arrived at the scene, the 22-year-old, 4,367-squarefoot home had been enveloped in flames. Eyewitnesses say that the fire started on the home’s main level,” a release from King’s office said. “Cynthia Clayton, 64, was renting the residence and her body was found in the fire debris of the basement area. Upon further investigation, Habersham County officials discovered that she had been in a second-floor bedroom at the time of the fire.”
King’s State Fire Investigations Unit will continue assisting the Habersham County Fire Department and Habersham County Sheriff’s Office in this case. This death marks the 66th fire fatality in Georgia in 2020.
Habersham County Emergency Services Director Chad Black said the call came in around 2 p.m. on Monday from a house on the same street. “Habersham County 911 received a call reporting a structure fire off Heads Ferry Road on the Chattahoochee River, caller advised large two story home with heavy fire and smoke showing,” Black said.
Units arrived to find a large two-story river home with heavy fire showing of approximately 80% involvement. “Crews were unable to get the apparatus close to the structure due to driveway location and had to lay hand lines several hundred feet in order to get water on the fire,” Black said.
Due to amount of fire, crews had to operate in a defensive mode. “Once the main body of fire was extinguished, fire personnel were able to enter the structure to perform an interior search.” Black said that is when the body was found.
“Neighbors say that [Clayton] worked from home and had lived in the home for around four years,” Gibbons said. “She rarely travelled outside the home and was a friendly neighbor.”
“We are thankful for the bravery and hard work shown by Habersham County officials in this case,” said Commissioner King. “Because the home was on a hillside, the Habersham County Fire Department had to hand pull their lines to extinguish the fire.”
HCES Engines 12, 13 and 9, Tanker 12, Lee Arrendale Corrections Institute, Medic 12, Battalion 1 and Captain 1 dispatched. Demorest and Baldwin requested on the second alarm and responded to assist.
