The complex — now reminiscent of a war zone, with pink insulation hanging onto deteriorating walls blackened from smoke and mold — sits in the middle of a bustling part of the city. On Wednesday morning, several motorists drove through the detours and ate breakfast at The Original Pancake House across the street.
The four-story building burned down Nov. 10 after two people set off fireworks in the complex, police said at the time. Atlanta fire Chief Rod Smith described the blaze as “a complete anomaly” because it started on the roof, adding that it might have impacted and delayed the alarm and sprinkler systems.
Since the fire, a stretch of Lavista Road near the intersection of Cheshire Bridge Road has been closed. Burris, who is with DIG Earthworks, said the building should be completely demolished and all the debris hauled from the site in 45 days, or by late May.
“The reason it took so long (to start demolishing) was because of the insurance claim,” Burris said. “You saw the criminal charges that were placed. The mayor’s office really expedited the permit process. … This is the first time that this went so smoothly and so fast. I mean, I had a permit probably within 72 hours.”
Robert Stokes, 42, and Charnelle Gunn, 24, are accused of causing the blaze, which led to 17 people being treated for smoke inhalation and other minor injuries. They face charges of criminal damage to property and reckless conduct. Their cases remain pending.
Within days of the fire, a class action lawsuit was filed against the building’s owners. Attorney Doug Dean with the Dean Thaxton law firm told reporters at the time that “the building had a damaged fire suppression system and property owners created a culture of frugality, ignored residents’ complaints, and knowingly put residents at risk.”
A December 2022 fire inspection report said Atlanta Fire Rescue did not find the complex…
Read the full article here
