On Sunday morning, August 25, 2024, a Statesboro home suffered significant damage due to a fire that erupted in the 200 block of Orleans Trail, just outside the city limits. The Bulloch County 911 center dispatched both the Statesboro and Bulloch Fire Departments shortly after 10:00 AM when reports of the blaze began to come in.
Firefighters arrived on the scene to find heavy smoke and flames raging from multiple areas of the home. Fortunately, the homeowners had safely evacuated, but five pets were still inside, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation.
Brave firefighters launched an aggressive interior attack while simultaneously searching for the family's pets. Thanks to their swift actions, all five animals were located and safely removed from the burning structure.
Witnesses reported hearing an explosion coming from the garage area just before the flames erupted. Upon investigation, the homeowners discovered their garage engulfed in flames, which prompted their call for help.
Though firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control within minutes, they remained on-site for several hours to perform overhaul work and ensure all hot spots were fully extinguished.
Bulloch County EMS was also on the scene as a precautionary measure, but thankfully, no injuries were reported. The Bulloch County Sheriff's Department assisted with the incident as well.
As is standard procedure, Statesboro Fire Investigators will conduct a thorough cause and origin investigation to determine what led to this alarming incident. Our community is thankful for the quick response of our firefighters and relieved that no lives were lost in this frightening event.