Fire Destroys Dill’s Food City in Royston
As reported on Saturday by WNEG sister station WLHR’s news director MJ Kneiser, an Inspector with the State Fire Marshal’s office is expected back in Royston next week to continue his investigation into the cause of the fire that destroyed Dill’s Food City.
The fire broke out at the store around midnight Friday night according to Royston Fire Chief Matt Elrod who said when he arrived, the store was fully engulfed in flames.
Elrod said at one point, firefighters tried to get inside the store to fight the fire and check if anyone was inside but he said the roof began to collapse and they had to evacuate.
He said they determined that no one was inside the store when it caught fire and there were no injuries, but Elrod said one firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation and is OK.
Saturday morning, water tanker trucks from the Royston, Franklin Springs, and Bold Springs Fire Departments continued to shuttle water back and forth from a fire hydrant at Franklin Springs City Hall to the scene to keep water flowing for Franklin Springs firefighters who were on a ladder truck spraying water back and forth across the smoldering rubble.
By Saturday afternoon, an inspector with the State Fire Marshal’s office surveyed the damage along with Chief Elrod and Assistant Fire Chief Jon Lorentson.
Lorentson said it would be some days before they will have a cause.
Meantime, barricades wrapped in yellow tape now stand in front of the smoldering rubble.
Lorentson said they are asking the public to report any signs of fire restarting.
Lorentson said stores on both sides of Dill’s sustained smoke damage but did not burn.
