Updated at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 18
Seven people have been displaced at the beleaguered Azalea Park Apartments after a fire was discovered inside the wall of an apartment.
According to Jason DeHart, public information officer with the Augusta Fire Department, Georgia Power Co. was called to the scene and cut off power to the unit while the cause of the fire is being determined.
The Red Cross has been called in to assist the families.
Original story posted at 1:22 p.m. Jan. 18
Augusta fire fighters are once again on the scene of a fire at Azalea Park Apartments at 1814 Fayetteville Drive, just off Milledgeville Road.
According to witnesses on the scene, the fire is in building P with flames shooting through the roof.
This is the third fire at the troubled complex in 18 months, according to Jason DeHart, public information officer with the Augusta Fire Department.
Staff photo. 
Firefighters are on the scene of a third fire in 18 months at Azalea Apartments. Staff photo
The apartment complex had a fire on Dec. 8, 2021 that displaced 15 people. The property has also been under scrutiny lately by the county commission for code violations. The third fire occurred in October 2020.
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The owners of Azalea Park Apartments, located at 1814 Fayetteville Drive, have faced several serious code violations over the years, and, according to Rob Sherman, former director of the Planning Department, they have always found a way to slip under the radar and avoid serious repercussions for their neglect of the property.
The apartment complex was given until Dec. 31, 2021, to bring the buildings up to code or face losing its business license. A probationary period that ended on Oct. 31, 2021 has been extended until Dec. 31; however, the commission instructed the Planning Department to provide bi-weekly reports on the progress.
When these were Williamsburg, they were more up-scale and desired apartments in the area. They and the grounds were well taken care of by the tenants and owners. Looks like this has changed for most apartments around town.
Our county government is stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Shut the owners down and displace hundreds of needy tenants, or work with the “slacker” owners and simply pray that they do the right thing — invest money for upkeep. Why not condemn the property and force the owners to sell to another business that will invest some cash? Easier said than done, I’m guessing.