THOMASVILLE — A golf cart is believed to be the culprit in a fast-moving Saturday night fire that destroyed a family’s home off Summerhill Road.

Tina Glass was home alone about 9 p.m. Saturday. Her husband, Robby, and their two teenage sons were ’coon hunting.

A smoke detector sounded, and Mrs. Glass smelled smoke. Smoke began to pour from recessed lighting in the ceiling.

Mrs. Glass attempted to call 911, but the telephone would not work. She ran to a neighbor’s and called 911. The time was 9:10 p.m.

Accompanied by Don Shiver, a neighbor, Mrs. Glass went back into the house and successfully rescued the family’s dog.

The first Thomas County Fire Department engine arrived at 9:21 p.m. The Sunset Fire Station volunteer fire chief, who lives nearby, traveled to the blaze in his private vehicle and arrived five minutes earlier.

Chris Jones, county fire chief, said fire was shooting through the roof of the 210 East Gate Drive residence when the volunteer chief arrived.

“It was mainly the garage area,” Jones said, adding that the blaze appears to have originated from a golf cart parked outside the house.

“All indications were it was being charged. Every report we received said the golf cart was the first thing burning,” Jones said. The fire is attributed to an electrical malfunction in the golf cart.

Flames traveled from the golf cart to eaves of the house and into a storage area above the carport, where a vehicle was parked.

Initially, a fire truck would not pump water. “That could have been operator error or something wrong with the truck,” Jones explained. “ … They opted to shut that line down and move to another truck.”

In another situation, volunteer firefighters became confused about information received from unauthorized personnel regarding a fire hydrant.

The house, valued at $300,000, is a total loss, the chief said.

Heat from the blaze melted vinyl siding on a residence about 75 feet away.

Jones said that had the water supply and pumping capabilities been “textbook,” it would not have made a difference, considering the amount of fire and the speed with which it devoured the house.

Mr. Glass said damaged photographs were retrieved Sunday from the charred rubble, although it would appear nothing would be salvageable from the blackened remains of his family’s home.

“We went thorough it yesterday and were able to get a lot of pictures I thought we’d never see again,” Glass said Monday morning.

The photographs were burned around the edges and stuck together. They were pried apart with knives. Many other photos were destroyed.

The family had lived in the house for 11 years. For now, they are living with Mr. Glass’ parents, Ray and Vivian Glass — “and figuring out which way to go.”

Mr. Glass, 47, is employed at Battery Source, a family business.

“Financially, we’ve got good insurance,” he explained.

Glass is thankful no one was hurt, and he is “flabbergasted” about locating the photographs.

Family and friends pulling together for him, his wife and children have made the tragedy bearable, Glass said.



Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 220.