Fire leaves 8 homeless

GAINESVILLE - Eight people escaped unharmed from a fire that started at their March Drive residence early Tuesday morning.

Hall County Fire Marshal Scott Cagle said the call came in about 2:56 a.m. to 1628 March Drive, off Old Athens Highway.

The 1500-square-foot home was about 50 percent involved when firefighters arrived, he said.

Eight people were at home when the fire started. Cagle said it was caused by somebody who was cooking.

"No smoke alarms were in the residence," he said. However, "The person that started the fire accidentally by cooking went around the house waking people up."

The Red Cross was called for housing assistance. Cagle said the fire did about $70,000 worth of damage.