A fire early Sunday morning destroyed a garage and damaged a residence at 14120 Nashville Highway between Liberty and Alexandria.
Central dispatch received the call at 1:47 a.m.
County Fire Chief Donny Green said the owner of the home is Joanne Newbell but she has it rented to Ricky and Kristy Sullivan.
The Sullivan’s were at home asleep when the fire started. “Kristy said she was awakened by a loud popping sound, looked out the window, and saw the blaze coming from the garage only about fifteen feet away from the house,” said Chief Green.
The family escaped the home unharmed. The garage and all contents including a tractor and lawn mowers were destroyed. Flames from the fire also scorched the exterior wall on one end of the residence and melted blinds in the window of the Sullivan’s bedroom. Heat from the blaze also melted a tail light and paint on the tailgate of the Sullivan’s pickup truck parked near the garage.
The cause of the fire is undetermined.
Members of the Liberty and Main Stations of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department responded along the tanker truck and manpower from the Short Mountain Highway Station. The Alexandria Fire Department also responded under an automatic aid agreement between the county and Alexandria.