PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A 65-year-old Paulding County man died in an overnight house fire, officials told Channel 2 Action News.
Alonzo Patterson was killed in the fire near the 200 block of Old Brock Road, said Glenn Allen, a spokesman with the state insurance commissioner's office.
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Paulding County Fire and Rescue crews arrived just after 7 p.m. Wednesday to fight the fire, but the home was fully involved with flames and firefighters couldn’t get inside, Lt. Steve Mapes said.
After the fire was controlled, Patterson’s body was recovered about 12:30 a.m.
Friend Stephen McDaniel did maintenance work and helped care for Patterson’s dogs. He said the war veteran was always dressed up, wearing a hat and always ready to help anyone.
"Great man, all around good guy. He went to church every Sunday and Wednesday night..pillar of this community,” McDaniel said.
Friends said the fire also killed three of Patterson’s five dogs.
"One of those dogs was chained up to the front porch and would have died if not for the quick actions of one the firefighters on the first engine to arrive,” Mapes said. "So they were able to get to the porch and get the dog loose."
Patterson's remains have been sent to GBI to perform an autopsy and determine if he was killed in the fire, or before it started.