Augusta, GA
‘No one expected a fire’: Augusta apartment building catches fire, causing total loss
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/AKJZL62SIFG6FHE6MNRSVHJUTE.png "‘No one expected a fire’: Augusta apartment building catches fire, causing total loss")
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Families that live at the Highlands Apartment complex are recovering after a fire on Thursday.
One family lost a dog in the fire on Walden Drive but everyone else was able to get out.
“No one expected a fire. No one expected a fire,” said Olyuana Harris, an apartment fire victim.
People either rushed out of their homes or rushed to get home once they heard the news.
“I didn’t know what was going on all the way home. And then I got here and it was like six fire trucks in front of the building. And we couldn’t get close to the building and I couldn’t find my dog at first, but then I found him. And then after that, it was just waiting for them to tell me if my house was okay, if I could go back inside, or if everybody was okay,” said Harris.
The fire caused damage to almost the entire building.
“The neighbor directly next to them, there’s water everywhere in her apartment and black soot and smoke everywhere. This neighbor right here is like the fire jumped to their unit because they chopped their ceiling down. So upstairs, the ceiling is down in the back bedroom and in the bathroom. So and they got black smoke and all that stuff everywhere as well,” she said.
Her son has asthma and can’t even stay in their home because of the damage and smoke.
“Black soot all over the walls, the bathroom, the toilet, the floors, my couch, my bed, everywhere,” said Harris.
Even so, they’re counting their blessings.
“Through the grace of God, everybody got out of the house, except for one of their dogs. And their children had to experience that standing out here. And you know, wondering, ‘Where will I live? What are we going to do? I have to go to school so when will I get my clothes and everything?’ They’re gone,” she said.
They are thinking of their neighbors and trying to figure out what to do next.
“I just really feel bad for them and their family,” she said.
Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – It’s been more than 100 days since Hurricane Helene came through our area.
Now, those in the CSRA are still cleaning up the aftermath.
On Saturday, Rooting for Augusta helped the area get back to normal.
“Every once in a while, we have a horrific event that unites us all, and we certainly had it with the storm. Everybody can agree that it’s a good thing to plant trees back in the right spots,” said Dennis Trotter with Rooting for Augusta.
Rooting for Augusta gave away 700 trees as part of the event.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – After swearing in 100 new deputies at the beginning of his tenure, Richmond County Sheriff Eugene Brantley also addressed promotions and appointments for those in the sheriff’s office.
It happened on Friday before the winter weather got underway and impacted the region.
Brantley spoke with us after about why the new promotions, appointments and people in the sheriff’s office will benefit the community.
“For the most part, when you’re suffering from a shortage of staff like we have been and so many other agencies in the state of Georgia and around the country, I think it is a boost in the arm to onboard 100 people to help get things that we need slow down crime and stop what is plaguing our community,” said Brantley.
Brantley said it was the first step to making the community safer.
He says he has been working on improving the jail as well.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – AugustaCon was back, but in a new home this time.
Saturday’s event was held in Columbia County at the Performing Arts Center.
The event holds video game tournaments and hosts vendors that had anime and video game-style items.
We spoke to one of the vendors, who helped run the video game tournament there.
“We really love it. It’s a great environment. We love seeing new gamers, collectors, anyone that likes anime,” said Cedric Bacon.
If you missed out on Saturday’s AugustaCon, there are ones usually in the summer and winter as well.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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