A house fire has claimed the life of an elderly woman in Brookhaven.
The fire broke out at about 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5, in Brookhaven Heights killing Deborah Henderson in an upstairs bedroom, but sparing the lives of her husband Eugene Caron and their two small dogs.
The DeKalb Fire Rescue Department has not released the victim’s name or the cause of the fire.
Neighbors witnessed multiple emergency vehicles rushing to the scene on Standard Drive including police, fire trucks, and ambulances. One person called 911 while others began knocking on doors, making sure neighbors close to the fire were out of their homes.
Brookhaven City Councilmember Madeleine Simmons said the incident was a horrible tragedy.
“Brookhaven Heights is a very tight-knit community. A tragic event like this affects us all,” said Simmons. “We’ll be praying for the survivor and doing anything we can to help.”
The neighborhood is active and engaged, Simmons said. While the blaze was raging, neighbors were all communicating with each other and making sure other residents in the adjacent area were safe.
Neighbors have already kicked off a community effort to help the surviving homeowner with meals. A GoFundMe for Eugene has raised nearly $10,000.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
