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One person arrested, three firefighters burned battling overnight house fire
One taken to Grady Hospital Burn Center with third-degree burns
Fire department
Shanice Alesha Riggins-Davenport
Shanice Alesha Riggins-Davenport - photo by Photo courtesy of the FCSO

A suspect has been arrested and a Forsyth County firefighter is in the Grady Hospital Burn Center with serious third-degree burns to his upper extremities following a Wednesday night fire that began as a domestic dispute, according to officials.

Deputies who were called to the home at 4305 Hopewell Manor Drive at 11:50 p.m., Wednesday night found that the home was on fire. Firefighters from several stations responded to the location, with Station 12 arriving first. Officials say that, after confirming that no one was inside the residence, firefighters entered the home to battle the blaze.


According to Forsyth County Jail records, Shanice Alesha Riggins-Davenport, 21, was charged with felony aggravated assault with other weapon and felony arson residence on Wednesday night. She is being held on no bond. 

Forsyth County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Stacie Miller confirmed Riggins-Davenport was arrested in connection with the fire. 

According to Division Chief Jason Shivers, one firefighter became disoriented as they were fighting the fire. As that firefighter was being evacuated from the building, there was a “dramatic deterioration in conditions inside the burning home” and that the crew inside was overtaken by the fire.

Along with the firefighter taken to Grady, two others were also injured in the blaze. 

Of the four firefighters who were in the home, one female firefighter was not injured. Another male firefighter has minor first-degree burns, a second male firefighter has some second-degree burns to his ear and the third firefighter received third-degree burns to his hands and arms.

Shivers said that, while the fire is still under investigation, they have confirmed that it was intentionally set.

He said the firefighter is stable and being treated for his burn injuries at Grady Hospital, and that his wife has been able to visit him, although he has a “long recovery ahead.” 

In a news release, fire department officials said the fire began in the home's basement before "conditions rapidly deteriorated forcing [firefighters] to evacuate the structure."

This story will be updated.