Hudgens: Deadly House Fire in Rabun Co. Under Investigation

ATLANTA – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens said fire investigators with his office are working to determine the cause of a Sunday morning house fire in Rabun County that claimed two lives. Fire Investigators believe the homeowners, Joseph Kneer, 71, and his wife Phyllis Kneer, 77, died in the blaze at 3026 Blue Ridge Gap, Clayton, Ga. Their bodies were discovered in the rubble by firefighters and later taken to a GBI crime laboratory for an autopsy and identification. The fire, which occurred today around 7 a.m., destroyed the one-story wood frame structure, Hudgens said. The fire appears to have started in the kitchen area of the home. The Rabun County Fire Department and the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office are assisting with the investigation.