2-alarm fire in Midtown Atlanta guts vacant building

ATLANTA - A fire tore through a vacant Midtown Atlanta apartment sparking a 2-alarm response and knocking out power to thousands for a time.

Firefighters responded just after 8:30 p.m. to the old 12th Street West Apartments located along 12th Street near Peachtree Walker NE.

"We went ahead and called a second alarm initially to get more equipment, more manpower," said Atlanta Fire Captain Ronald Slatton.

Fire crews arrived to find a blaze in a 2-story brick structure. The fire grew quickly and firefighters were pulled from inside the building.

"Conditions did not improve when the first lines were put in place, so we went ahead and went defensive," said Capt. Slatton.

Thick black smoke could be seen rising from the area.

FOX 5 crews saw dozens of firefighters blocking off the immediate area as ladder trucks sprayed water from above.

Georgia Power reported more than 5,000 customers from 14th Street south to North Avenue covering the heart of Midtown, were without power. That included a section of West Peachtree and Spring streets.

Power has reportedly since been restored about 45 minutes later to all but five customers, Georgia Power says.

No firefighters were injured.

"We pulled the firefighters out pretty quick and went defensive operations, so we were not interior very long, so all the firefighters are good," said Capt. Slatton.

The captain says fire investigations will be looking into if the fire was set by vagrants. He says there was no power to the building at the time of the fire. However, no official cause has been ruled.

Temporary fencing surrounding the vacant structure.

A nearby restaurant was evacuated as a precaution.