Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County Fire Services requested mutual aid to fight a three-story structure fire on Lake Rabun Monday evening. The home was a complete loss.
A three-story, approximately 12,000 sq. ft. structure on Lake Rabun was a total loss following a fire on Monday evening at 989 Mathis Dam Rd. The firefighting effort led to five firefighters having to be treated by EMS for heat exhaustion and dehydration, but none were transported.
Rabun County Fire Services were dispatched at 10:30 p.m. on June 13 to a report of a structure fire on Mathis Dam Rd. on Lake Rabun, according to a statement from Assistant Fire Chief Justin Upchurch.
"The caller to 911 was across the lake and reported hearing an explosion and could see the house and trees on fire. RCSO (Rabun County Sheriff's Office) arrived initially and advised that no one was at the structure," Upchurch said.
The home was a vacation home and is not occupied full-time. The fire could be seen for miles around, as reported by numerous callers to 911.
Stations 4, 7, and 12 were initially dispatched. Engine 4, Engine 1, Tanker 1 and Fireboat 4 arrived within minutes of each other. Fire was showing from the basement and side of the house and heavy, turbulent smoke on the opposite sides, according to the statement.
"An interior attack was attempted into the basement but crews were driven back by zero visibility and intense heat. All crews were evacuated from the structure and the attack was changed to defensive. Within minutes of the evacuation, the house erupted in flames with heavy fire showing from all sides," Upchurch said.
Habersham Fire was requested for manpower. Fireboat 4 provided water supply and attacked the fire from the lake side while Engine 4 fought the fire from above, including the several small woods fire started by embers, which included a power pole on fire, according to the statement.
Fire personnel remained on scene until 4:13 a.m.
"The home was a total loss with small contained fires burning in the basement throughout the day," Upchurch said. Rabun County Fire Services responded to the residence again Tuesday morning due to small embers that had caught some brush on fire.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.