Dunwoody fire response under review

Four DeKalb fire officers placed on leave; Dunwoody fire response under review

Four DeKalb County Fire Rescue department officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation of fatal Dunwoody fire early Sunday morning. County public safety director William Miller put acting officer in charge William Greene, Capt. Tony L. Motes, Capt. Sell Caldwell, and Batt. Chief Lesley Clark on leave with pay as the department conducts an internal investigation, according to a statement released late Monday night.

A call reporting a fire in the 1600 block of Houghton Court was disconnected as the dispatcher was getting information from the caller.  The dispatcher tried several times to reconnect, and firefighters were sent to the area. When they arrived, however, they found no signs of a fire.  About five hours later, a call reporting a fire in the same area. Firefighters arrived to find a house fully engulfed in flames.  The home burned to the ground, and emergency officials found the body of an elderly woman in the remains of the house, county officials said.

The internal investigation of the emergency response is part of the county's standard practices, officials said.