A house on North Jefferson Street that had been condemned by the city and called an “eyesore” by city officials was used by the Milledgeville Fire Department as a training location through a controlled burn Thursday.

Owned by local businessman Rusty Kidd, the house had been condemned by the city in 2007 and had faced public scrutiny for more than two years as trash and debris began accumulating both inside and outside the building.

A portion of that trash and debris was attributed to an 85-year-old World War II veteran, Kevin “K” Reed, who had been living in his car in front of the house for more than a year.

Thursday, Reed’s car, which he had been using as a bed, was towed from the site and the house was set ablaze as part of a Milledgeville Fire Department training exercise, leaving Reed with little choice but to find a new location to live.

Reed, however, has been offered assistance with relocation in the past, but has refused to accept it each time, according to Kidd.

Kidd was out of town when the burn began Thursday but was reached by The Union-Recorder by phone for his comments on both Reed and the status of the site.

“The property was unsafe and a health hazard. If something had happened to him or anyone else on the site, I would have been liable,” Kidd said.

The Union-Recorder joined Kidd in July on a visit to the property as Kidd attempted to persuade Reed to move to a new location.

At the time, Reed was adamant about staying at the location despite conditions that were declared “unlivable” by Kidd and others.

“I live here. There’s nothing this town can do for me. I don’t have any skills and have been down too many destructive streets,” Reed said.

Kidd had attempted to assist Reed in moving but was unsuccessful in his efforts.

“I found a place he could rent for $200 a month, which is what he had been paying me. He would make the payments at our office in downtown,” Kidd said. “At the time, the location I found through Don Braxley was on Hall Street and was vacant.”

The problem, Kidd said, is that whenever Reed was approached with the offer of assistance by the public, Reed would turn down the offers.

“I didn’t have to try to find him any place to go. I personally talked to him for four or five months and told him what would be taking place later. I found him a location on Hall Street and another location on Elbert Street and he didn’t want to go,” Kidd said.

Kidd said his secretary had informed him Thursday morning after Reed’s car was towed and the Milledgeville Fire Department began the process of setting the house on fire that Reed was still on the site.