Child Burned in Cave Spring Road Fire in Stable Condition, Suffered Significant Second-Degree Burns

The home at 2270 Cave Spring Road partially collapsed as a result of the fire, making determining the cause difficult, Rome-Floyd Fire Marshal Mary Catherine Chewning said.

Rome, GA- The 12-year-old boy who was burned in a Cave Spring Road house fire early Monday is expected to pull through. He’s currently in stable condition at a burn center in Augusta, being treated for second-degree burns on more than 30% of his body.

Rome-Floyd Fire Marshal Mary Catherine Chewning said investigators are still seeking to determine what caused the fire at 2270 Cave Spring Road.

Police and firefighters responded to the blue cinderblock home at 2:04 a.m. They found 90-year-old Louise Hartley, who likely died of smoke inhalation, and began giving medical care to the child. Hartley’s body has been taken to the GBI crime lab for an autopsy.

The state of the home, which is partially collapsed, has made it difficult for investigators to determine the cause of the fire. A state fire marshal’s office K-9 unit was brought to the scene on Monday and did not alert to the presence of any accelerant, Chewning said, but that doesn’t completely rule out the possibility.

At this point investigators with the Floyd County police and GBI are also assisting with the investigation primarily, she said, to assist in following up with potential leads.

(Rome News-Tribune)