Saturday Morning Fire Guts Canton Home

A late morning fire devastated the home of a 73-year-old Canton woman who was in Dawsonville celebrating her birthday.

According to Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services, firefighters responded to the blaze in the 600 block of Sam Nelson Road at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. By that time, the two-story house was fully engulfed in flames.

The occupants of the home, a 73-year-old woman, her 48-year-old son and his 4-year-old daughter were all in Dawsonville celebrating the elder woman's birthday with family and friends. Another son and resident of the house was in Indiana at the time.

The woman's son told Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services that his mother had lost her husband on her birthday two years ago, so this celebration was a rare one.

The home was completely gutted by the fire, though no injuries were reported. Both lanes of Sam Nelson Road were shut down until authorities completed cleaning the scene. Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services is investigating the cause of the blaze.