Elderly Male Killed in Blakely Fire

ATLANTA – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced today that L.A. Stapleton, 70, was killed in an Early County fire on Thursday, January 20th.

The fire occurred on Butler Avenue in Blakely and caused moderate damage to the 82-year-old 1320-square-foot residence.

“The fire appeared to have originated in the living room of the residence,” said Commissioner King. “Fire department personnel located the deceased subject inside the structure while extinguishing the fire. His body was subsequently transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab for autopsy.”

Commissioner King’s Fire Investigations Unit is assisting the Blakely Fire Department, Blakely Police Departments, and Early County Coroner’s Office in this investigation. This marks the 8th death from a Georgia fire in 2022.

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The mission of the Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner is to protect Georgia families by providing access to vital insurance products and safe buildings through fair regulation that creates economic opportunities for all Georgians.