Bryan Mundy, co-founder of Atlanta-based EzGov Inc., was among two people who died of smoke inhalation early Monday morning as flames overtook Mundy’s brick home on Pelham Road, an upscale street in the Piedmont Heights area of Midtown.
Mundy, 36, also served as chairman of EzGov, a two-year-old company that supplies government agencies with software that allows citizens to pay parking tickets, taxes and other fees online.
A statement was released early Tuesday by EzGov’s president and CEO, Ed Trimble. The statement read: “EzGov is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our friend and chairman, Bryan Mundy, in a fire at his home this weekend. EzGov was founded on Bryan’s vision of using the Internet to simplify government. One of his legacies is the strong and deep management team that will continue to carry on his vision. Bryan will be greatly missed by all those who knew him.”
The identity of the other victim, a female said to be Mundy’s companion, is being withheld.
Authorities are working to determine a cause for the blaze, but foul play is not expected. Atlanta Fire Department Jolene Butts Freeman would not comment on the fire until a more thorough investigation has been done.
Firefighters were called to the scene after neighbors spotted bright orange flames in Mundy’s home, much of the structure completely engulfed in fire. Rescue workers found Mundy and his companion on the kitchen floor. Neither could be resuscitated. Fire investigators could not say whether they were trying to flee the home, or if they were trying to put the fire out.
Firefighters did confirm that a smoke detector was found in the home, but the detector did not have an operable battery and therefore could not alert Mundy and his friend of the fire.
EzGov contracts with nearly 70 municipal and state governments in 17 states, according to the company’s Web site. Recently, EzGov did away with the “.com” previously affixed to its name, in an effort to separate itself from the volatility of the “dot-com” industry. And unlike many Internet companies in the Atlanta area, EzGov has remained a steadily growing firm.
The privately held company boasts several famous and influential board members, such as Georgia Sen. Zell Miller, former GOP vice presidential nominee Jack Kemp, former New York Governor Mario Cuomo and the United Negro College Fund’s president William Gray.
