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Mother, son displaced following Flowery Branch house fire
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Hall County Fire Services' Chase Mullinax looks away Thursday afternoon as Lt. Tony Allen sprays water into the ceiling of a burned out Mitchell Street home in Flowery Branch.

Flooding in Gainesville

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A mother and her 4-year-old son are displaced from their small Flowery Branch home following a fire Thursday morning in the 5900 block of Mitchell Street, Hall County Fire Services Capt. Zachary Brackett said.

Neighbor Gary Crouse said he heard and saw everything. He recalled seeing the woman who lives in the home running out in her bathrobe.

“I’m just thankful that everyone got out,” Crouse said.

About half the 1,000-square-foot house was on fire when firefighters arrived.

“It went from zero to 1 million, really quick,” Crouse said. “It went up (in flames) so fast.”

Crouse heard several “booms,” which he described as shotgun-like noises, coming from his neighbor’s home from where he was sitting in his bedroom, which is on the side of his brick home closest to the fire.

The Flowery Branch man jumped into action, making sure his daughter and granddaughter left in case his house was next to catch flame.

“We are all connected on the same gas line,” he said.

He also said he has four fire alarms in his home, so he’s very conscious of fire safety living in an older home.

Crouse was outside watching and taking photographs as Hall County Fire Services firefighters were removing and throwing planks of wood out of what used to be the front of the home. The road was closed as they worked but reopened at about 1:30 p.m.

Crouse said he was especially impressed with how quickly the firefighters and police officers got there.

“I didn’t even have time to call 911,” he said.

A partially melted plastic slide made for children was less than 5 feet away from the charred remains.

No injuries were reported. The fire was ruled an accidental electrical fire, Brackett said.

Nearby family will be helping the woman and her son, Brackett said.

“They are really nice people,” Crouse said.