MACON, Ga. — A New Year's Day fire at The Park at Northside Apartments off Northside Drive damaged four apartments and left at least six people displaced.
Kayla Jackson says the first thing she wanted to eat in 2020 was some french fries. She says after the grease got hot, and she put the fries in the pan, she dozed off.
"After I did that, I laid down to let them cook up a little bit, and after that I dozed off," said Jackson.
She woke up to a fire that spread in the kitchen.
"I instantly panicked, because I saw orange everywhere," said Jackson.
She tried to use a fire extinguisher, but it ran out. She tried water, but she realized there was nothing she could do to stop it.
"I can save up my money and replace everything that's in there. I just want my pictures," said Jackson.
She says her other items are replaceable, but she lost most of her photos of her late father and a photo album from her grandmother.
"My dad is on the pictures. I just want my pictures, I don't want anything else. They can have everything, everything can be replaced, but my dad isn't coming back, and I want to have my pictures to see him," said Jackson.
Macon-Bibb Fire Chief Marvin Riggins confirms those four apartments are complete losses.
He says the fire did originate in Jackson's apartment, and the fire alarms worked and helped alert everyone in the building to get out.
"I'll talk to my dad like he's still here and talk to my ancestors and pray that they will guide me," said Jackson.
It was a tough start of the new year for Jackson, but she says she will bounce back.
Captain Roderick Colvard with the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department says the fire spread quickly, but firefighters were able to put it out in just 30 minutes.
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