Henri Hollis
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(TNS)
Smoke over the downtown Atlanta skyline Wednesday afternoon grabbed the attention of many concerned citizens, but the fire on top of a tower still under construction was quickly contained with no injuries reported.
Busy streets near the intersection of Ted Turner Drive and Luckie Street were closed for a few hours as investigators worked to determine the cause of the blaze, an Atlanta Fire Rescue official said at the scene. A plume of smoke appeared shortly after noon and could be seen for miles, but the fire’s impact on the building and traffic was relatively minor.
Streets in the vicinity were open to regular traffic by 3 p.m., according to the Georgia Department of Transportation’s website.
The building, called the Legacy at Centennial, is a student housing high-rise for Georgia State University, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. The 32-story tower is expected to be finished in August 2023 and will feature student apartments ranging in size from one to five bedrooms, as well as 5,700 square feet of retail space.
The building was originally called the Metropolitan at Atlanta, but the name was changed during construction, according to a spokeswoman for the developer, Landmark Properties, Inc.
Officials estimated that dozens of workers were in the building when the fire broke out, but they were able to “self-extricate” before firefighters arrived. Crews began containing the fire about 30 or 40 minutes after it began, the official said.
A video shared by Channel 2 Action News showed people standing at the top of the uncompleted building, where the fire started, according to the fire official.
Damage was limited to the roof thanks to fire hydrants already installed throughout the high-rise, which allowed firefighters to quickly get water to the top of the tower, an official said. The investigation remained active throughout the afternoon, but officials said there did not appear to be signs of foul play.
The Landmark spokeswoman confirmed that the building was mostly unharmed.
“We are investigating the extent of the damage, but based on what we know at this time we do not expect any material damage to the building,” the spokeswoman said. “We take safety on our job sites very seriously and are appreciative for the quick response of the Atlanta Fire Department and first responders.”
©2022 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
