Oconee Area Residents Help Barrow Family Narrowly Escape House Fire

A Barrow County family narrowly escaped a fire at their home Thursday after strangers stopped and offered aid. 

Communications officers with began receiving 911 calls about the fire at 8:06 a.m. and were told residents were still inside.

Britani Allison of Bogart was driving by the house, located at 715 Hog Mountain Road, with her children when she saw the fire. People outside the residence alerted her that a child was still inside.

“When I entered the house, it was very hot and the smoke was so thick I could not see my hands or feet,” Allison said, when interviewed by emergency services personnel. “My adrenaline was pumping and I did what I would expect someone to do for me.”

After almost five minutes in the house, Allison was able to find the child, carry her from the burning structure and care for for until emergency personnel arrived.

As Watkinsville resident Brent Leach drove by, he saw Allison carrying the child outside. He then stopped to offer assistance and was told a female was still inside the house. He entered the rear of the residence and searched for the female until he could no longer stand the smoke and heat. As he exited the burning house, he learned the female had made it out.

Allison was treated for smoke inhalation and transported to an area hospital.

“If it were not for the heroic efforts of people like Britani Allison and Brent Leach, the outcome could have been much worse,” Lt. Rob Nowakowski said in a news release.

Emergency services personnel transported four people to an area hospital, with one child later being transferred to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Firefighters from Engine 1, 3 and 6, Med 1 and 6, and Battalion 1 were able to quickly bring the fire under control. Firefighters found heavy smoke and fire conditions in the front half of the house. Through a coordinated interior and exterior fire attack, the fire was extinguished.

Although still under investigation, the cause of the fire is believed to be an undetermined failure of a window air conditioner or the power cord for the air conditioner.  Due to the age of the unit it was left in place.

Deputy Chief John Skinner and Lt. Scott Dakin, public information officer for Barrow County Emergency Services, also responded to assist with this fire. The Winder Fire Department also responded with its Emergency Response Unit to assist with rehabilitation and the American Red Cross responded to assist the family.

“Although the house is heavily damaged by the fire and the family lost a great deal of their belongings we are very thankful that everyone was able to make it out,” Nowakowski said in the news release. “We would like to publicly thank the citizens involved in the rescue, as well as the agencies that assisted with the investigation. Our personnel did a great job handling everything that went on with this incident and are very grateful for the assistance of citizens and other professionals from the departments that responded.”