GILLSVILLE, Ga. — Three firefighters were injured and a large commercial building was destroyed in a massive fire at Sims Pottery on April 6, officials said.
Crews responded around 11:52 a.m. to 2057 Ga. Highway 323 and arrived to find a roughly 20,000-square-foot storage building fully engulfed in flames, according to Banks County Fire Chief Steve Nichols.
Because of the intense fire conditions, crews moved into a defensive strategy, focusing on containing the blaze and protecting nearby structures.
Three firefighters suffered minor injuries during the response. One experienced a heat-related illness, another suffered a twisted knee, and a third required fluids on scene due to heat exposure, Nichols said. All were treated as crews battled the fire for hours.
The primary building, which housed floral goods for construction and shipping, is considered a total loss. A second building of similar size sustained fire and heat damage but was saved, with damage described as minor.
People were inside the building when the fire started but were unable to contain it. No civilian injuries were reported.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control around 7:25 p.m., and crews remained on scene overnight to monitor for flare-ups.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and Banks County fire investigators. The Lee Arrendale State Prison Fire Department in Alto assisted with firefighting efforts.
