91-year-old loses home to generator fire during Brantley County wildfire

BRANTLEY COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - The most destructive fire in Georgia state history is calming down after claiming over 100 homes, but one of those wasn’t actually caused by its flames.

WTOC has been in Brantley County covering stories on the fire for a week, and spoke with a 91-year-old about hers.

After 61 years, Shirley Thornton’s house has burnt, but not because of the fire that’s already claimed over 100 other homes, despite fire coming up to the fence of her property.

Up until Tuesday, her caretaker Justin Thornton had been warding off the backyard blaze. That night however, county officials said an electrical fire started at the house’s generator, likely from a power surge caused by the Highway 82 fire.

While Shirley herself was away from her home due to the smoky conditions, Justin watched helplessly as the house he defended for a week, was burnt all the same.

“And to see it go up because of a generator or an electrical problem after all that we’ve put in to try to save it, it’s devastating…it’s completely devastating and it breaks my heart, it makes me sick. I’ve been through all of the emotions…it’s awful…it really is," said Thornton.

Thornton said he and over 100 other relatives would gather at Shirley’s regularly on holidays.

Family members are helping Shirley after she lost everything in the fire. She said she is thankful to the community for supporting her and others who lost their property in the flames.

Browntown Road remains shut down about a mile north of Shirley’s property.