By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@thecitizennews.com

A Peachtree City family has lost its home in a raging blaze that was fed for at least two hours by a natural gas pipeline before it could be shut off.

By the time firefighters arrived five minutes after the call Thursday, one-third of Steve and Kay Norton's home on Muirfield Way was already destroyed, said acting fire chief Stony Lohr. A total of 27 firefighters, including 15 volunteers, battled the blaze after it was reported at 5:04 p.m., Lohr added.

“We had everybody in the city there,” Lohr said.

The gas line wasn't shut off until after 7 p.m., Lohr added.

A “good Samaritan” fund has been established to help the Nortons and their three children. Friends and family have provided items to help the Nortons for the next few days, but money and long-term supplies are needed.

Checks may be made out to Peachtree City United Methodist Church and marked for the Norton Family Good Samaritan Fund. For information phone the church at 770-487-6499 or Kim Metarko at 770-632-0262.

When firefighters first arrived, they were able to determine almost immediately that no one was home, Lohr said. After that was confirmed, the crew's job was to protect the other structures in the area.

Investigators believe the fire was started by workers who were installing an air conditioning system in a two-story addition to the rear of the home, though there are no indications it was set on purpose, Lohr said. The losses are estimated at $500,000.

Other insurance companies are also investigating the blaze just because of the high value of the home, Lohr added.

Wind ranging between 20 and 30 knots blew sparks from the fire into the nearby Village on the Green subdivision, which started a few small fires, Lohr said. A truck was dispatched there to extinguish those flames before they got out of hand.

The portion of the fire fed by the natural gas, however, had to be kept burning slightly because complete extinguishment might have led to an explosion as the gas built up, Lohr said.

The Nortons had been home briefly about a half-hour before the blaze was reported, Lohr said. They returned hours later from a trip to Atlanta to face the wreckage that was once their home.

The flames on one side of the house melted windows and shutters, Lohr added.