Cause of fatal fire in Washington Co. ‘undetermined’

Jun. 18--TENNILLE, Ga. -- Although state fire officials have ruled the cause of a fatal fire in Washington County last week undetermined, they indicated smoking may have been the culprit.

The fire claimed the life of 70-year-old Ruland Henry Creel, whose body was found on a sofa in the living room of his residence at 6486 Smith Robinson Road, Sandersville, authorities say.

"The fire has been ruled undetermined with the probable cause to be careless smoking," according to Brandon Wright, a spokesman with the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner's Office in Atlanta.

Firefighters with the Tennille Fire Department and Sandersville Fire Department battled the fire, which is happened about 5:30 p.m.

The fire is believed to have started in the living room, which sustained extensive damages. Other portions of the residence sustained "heavy" smoke damages.

"The metal-framed residence was approximately 21 years old and 2,400 square feet at the time of the fire," Wright said in a press release.

There were no smoke detectors, he said.

Investigators with the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner's Office assisted fire officials with the Tennille Fire Department, Sandersville Fire Department and Washington County Sheriff's Office with the investigation.

The fire fatality in Washington County brings to 41 the number of people killed in fires across Georgia this year.

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