12:30 P.M. THURSDAY UPDATE:
The man who was killed in that woods fire in North Hall Wednesday was Daniel J. Sammons, age 72. “Mr. Sammons’ body has been transported to the Dekalb County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death,” Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) spokeswoman B.J. Williams said Thursday afternoon. Sammons was a retired Gainesville attorney.
EARLIER STORY. POSTED 9:15 THURSDAY MORNING:
An elderly man as found dead amid the ashes of a woods fire in North Hall Wednesday afternoon.
Hall County Fire Rescue (HCFR) spokeswoman Kimberlie Ledsinger said Thursday morning the call about the fire in the 6700 block of Claude Parks Road came in about 2:30.
“The first arriving engine found about three acres of the property fully involved,” Ledsinger said. “The crew made contact with a witness and was made aware that the property owner could not be found.”
HCFR personnel began work at putting out the 20-foot flames and began a search for the victim. “An elderly male victim was found deceased, and the scene was contained by fire personnel with assistance from the Georgia Forestry Department.”
The witness told authorities the victim had started the fire to legally burn brush on his property but the flames became uncontrollable.
The cause of death is under investigation by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.