Macon man killed in house fire had escaped, but went back inside, fire chief says

A 57-year-old man who died in a Macon house fire Wednesday night had escaped but then went back inside, the fire chief said.

Frankie Causey, who lived in the home at 2883 Elpis Street with his girlfriend, was found near a bedroom in the back of the house by firefighters attempting a search and rescue, said Macon-Bibb County Fire Chief Marvin Riggins.

Causey had no vital signs when firefighters got him out of the single-story home, Riggins said.

Causey was pronounced dead on the scene at 11 p.m., said Bibb County Deputy Coroner Ronnie Miley.

Riggins said it’s not known why Causey went back inside.

Firefighters arriving on scene to the 10:19 p.m. fire call saw smoke billowing from the residence, Riggins said. The arrival time was 10:22 p.m.

“Smoke was coming out,” he said. “The structure was heavily involved in fire.”

Firefighters found a garden hose with water gushing out and learned later that a neighbor had tried to mitigate the fire before having to back off due to the fire’s intensity, Riggins said.

The fire has been ruled accidental, said Macon-Bibb fire Sgt. Kyle Murray, a fire investigator.

What caused the fire has been ruled undetermined based on multiple possibilities from electrical wiring to space heaters, Murray said.

The incident marks the fourth fatal fire in Macon-Bibb this year, Riggins said.

“It’s very unfortunate,” he said. “It’s very sad.”

This story was originally published December 3, 2020 at 9:38 AM.