Photo/Steve Sanders

Firefighters battled a three-alarm wood structure fire Wednesday around 12:45 p.m. on Smith Chapel Road, just off Magnolia Road. The house was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, power lines were down and the roof had collapsed. Firefighters from Sandersville and Rustin were the initial responders, with added help from M&M, Glade, Sharon and Shady Grove. A strong southerly wind pushed the fire over the remaining roof area. A temperature of about 85 degrees combined with a dry wood structure fire pushed some firefighters close to exhaustion. Paramedics with EmServ Ambulance Service were on the scene checking firefighters periodically.