Firefighters save main floor after lightning hits 1890 Georgia mansion

A lightning strike set fire to the turret of a historic Georgia mansion Saturday night, damaging its distinctive steeple and balcony but leaving the business operating inside largely untouched, according to FOX 5 Atlanta, which reported the incident on September 6. The fire broke out at the Maple Street Mansion at 401 Maple Street in Carrollton after lightning struck the building during a severe storm. The mansion, which dates to 1890, currently houses The Heirloom Store, a retail business run by owners Rhett and Malina. The Heirloom Store’s own account of the property confirms the mansion was built in 1890 and has served as a landmark in Carrollton for more than a century. Owners did not know the mansion had caught fire The incident unfolded as the owners waited out the storm nearby. According to the account shared by the owners and reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, Rhett and Malina had been parked outside as the weather worsened when a powerful lightning bolt struck. They did not initially realize that the historic building had been hit. They briefly went inside after noticing flickering lights, resetting a breaker before leaving the property. By then, however, the lightning strike had ignited the upper portion of the mansion. It was passersby who noticed flames coming from the roof and called 911, bringing emergency crews to the property before the fire could spread further. Fire contained to the turret Firefighters were able to confine the blaze to the mansion’s upper exterior. The turret and steeple sustained significant structural damage, as did the balcony. But the fire did not make its way down into the main floor, where The Heirloom Store operates. The owners said the store’s merchandise and main-floor interior escaped both fire and water damage. That distinction is particularly significant for the historic property, which has been used for commercial purposes for decades. The Heirloom Store describes the building as a roughly 33,000-square-foot landmark with a history stretching back to its construction by L.C. Mandeville in the late 19th century. The property has housed restaurants, event spaces and other businesses over the years. A historic Carrollton landmark The Maple Street Mansion is more than a commercial property in Carrollton. The Victorian-era building is closely tied to the city’s history and was originally the home of L.C. Mandeville, an influential businessman associated with Mandeville Mills. Historical records held by the University of West Georgia identify the property at 401 Maple Street as the L.C. Mandeville House and document its significance to Carrollton’s development. The building also survived a potential demolition in 2014, according to The Heirloom Store’s history of the property, before entering another chapter as a retail and community space. Repairs planned as business continues While the visible damage is concentrated high above the main floor, the full extent of the lightning strike’s impact has not yet been established. A detailed inspection was expected once crews could safely examine the structure in daylight, particularly for electrical damage that may not be immediately visible. For now, the owners intend to begin exterior repairs while keeping The Heirloom Store open. What began with a lightning strike could therefore have ended very differently. Instead, a blaze high in the mansion’s iconic turret was spotted in time, firefighters stopped it from descending into the building, and the business below was left standing.