Sad story, but no surprise at this location. Shut this dump down.
One man is dead and residents of 20 units have been displaced after a Saturday morning fire in an apartment at Richmond Summit, 744 Broad St.
Deputy Coroner Johnny McDonald identified the victim as 58-year-old John Fox Dryden III.
Saturday was Mr. Dryden's birthday, he said.
The body has been sent to the state crime laboratory in Atlanta and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation will work to determine the cause of death, Mr. McDonald said.
Augusta Fire Chief Howard Willis was at the scene and said the fire was confined to Mr. Dryden's apartment, No. 413. Other apartments sustained smoke and water damage, he said, but "the sprinkler system held it in check."
Lt. Carlton Bradley said residents in 20 units have been temporarily displaced, with the Red Cross getting them hotel rooms for a few days until smoke or water damage can be cleaned up in their apartments.
The fire was reported about 3 a.m. and firefighters arrived at 3:04 a.m. Lt. Bradley said the cause of the blaze was still unknown Saturday afternoon, but it originated in Mr. Dryden's bedroom, where he was found in the bed. Lt. Bradley said Mr. Dryden was wheelchair-bound.
Many of those evacuated into the subfreezing morning were temporarily given shelter in a nearby police substation and the lobby of The Augusta Chronicle News Building. At one point as many as 75 people were in the newspaper's lobby, a sheriff's deputy said.
Richmond Summit is a low-income housing complex federally subsidized for the elderly and disabled, said Augusta Housing Authority Director Jake Oglesby. He said the location was previously the Richmond Hotel and was converted into subsidized apartments by an Atlanta company in the early 1980s.
Staff Writer Preston Sparks contributed to this article.
Reach Bill Kirby at (706) 823-3344 or bill.kirby@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
Sad story, but no surprise at this location. Shut this dump down.
This dump, as you call it jgdarling, serves as permanent housing for many of our disabled homeless, like Maxwell House on Greene Street. No easy task they have caring for these people. At least they are putting them up in hotels through the American Red Cross instead of sending them back to the street or homeless shelters. United Way and Augusta Housing and Community Development use to have money to help the homeless too during this hour of need. Hope all work together so this group of persons continue to receive the loving care and supportive services they need to carry on. The homeless will always be with us and we have to love and care for them - not shut down their supportive housing homes.
If you shut these dumps down, where will the disabled homeless live? The street? In economic times like today, private donations are falling away and the state and local governments are facing budget shortfalls. Although less than ideal, a place like this is better than living on the streets.
Maybe those that want to shut it down can give up their spare bedroom. I do not think you will have many takers as these people have many many problems.
A temporary delay in drug supplies.
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