Family: Man dies after intentionally setting DeKalb County apartment on fire

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Firefighters have made a tragic discovery while battling a fire at a DeKalb County apartment complex Friday morning.

Authorities say they were called to the Creekside Corners Apartments on the 9000 block of Turnberry Place after reports that an apartment went up in flames.

At the scene, crews found the first-floor apartment covered with flames and learned that there may have been someone trapped inside.

When crews entered the building, they found one man dead in the apartment.

Officials tell FOX 5 a woman and her child also lived in the apartment. They were able to get out safely.

The neighboring apartments were evacuated without any other injures. Crews were able to douse the flames quickly and contained the blaze to the single apartment.

The mother of the woman who lived the apartment told FOX 5 that her daughter said the deceased man intentionally started the fire.

The woman escaped with her 5-year-old daughter and says that the man refused to save himself.

"She ran, and he came out on the balcony telling her to come back," Demetries Smith said. "She says she refused to come back and was begging him to jump from the balcony. He refused and walked back into the fire."

Smith says her daughter was asleep when the fire started.

"Sounds of the fire popping woke her up," she said.

At this time, officials believe the fire started in the kitchen of the apartment. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.

The identity of the deceased man has not been released.