ATLANTA - A DeKalb County fire that tore through the South River Art Studio last Wednesday has left local artists reeling, with many losing years of work in minutes.

South River Art Studio fire

What they're saying:

Sculptor Jonathan Imafidor said he woke up to the call no artist wants to receive and rushed to the scene on Fleetwood Drive. Fire officials said the blaze was difficult to fight because the studio sits in an industrial area where the nearest hydrant was farther away than usual.

"I just broke down in tears, and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to witness," Imafidor said. He added that sculpting is not only his passion but also how he makes a living, which makes the loss even more devastating.

Imafidor said he arrived to find his studio destroyed and decades of vis

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