SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - Savannah Fire is investigating a fire at an apartment home on Graydon Street that killed one child and injured four others.
Savannah Fire officials say the fire broke out around 1:10 a.m. Wednesday morning in the 1100 block of Graydon Street. When fire crews arrived, they noticed heavy smoke and flames coming from the ground floor unit of a two-story apartment building.
It took firefighters about 30 minutes to get the fire out. Seven people lived in the apartment unit where the fire is believed to have originated. Two adults and four children from the ground-floor unit were outside when fire crews arrived. But sadly, a fifth child never made it out and was later found deceased in the apartment by firefighters. The unresponsive 5-year-old was discovered in a corner of a bedroom where the fire appears to have begun.
The four injured children were transported to Memorial Medical Center, two of which were severely burned and had to be taken to the Augusta Burn Center.
The five adults and nine children who lived in the upstairs apartment were not home at the time of the fire.
A few of the residents who live in the second floor apartment spoke about the moment they realized what was happening.
"We heard a loud banging noise on the door and then somebody actually came through the window and said there was a fire. Everybody just got up, tried to get all the kids out of the house. Then the smoke was coming inside so we couldn't come out the front door. We had to go out the back door," said Antonio Williams, lives on second floor. "That was my first thing. First thing - first making sure my cousin, my sister, my brother was out of the house. So it was them over me. I would rather stay and let them out first then get out."
"Just knocking over everything and making sure everyone was out. The smoke was coming in too fast. Thank God there was two exits. We got out the back door," said Melinda Brown, lives on second floor.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the bottom floor apartment. However, the entire building sustained heavy smoke and water damage and the power had to be cut.
A total of 20 people have been displaced. The Red Cross was called to provide both families with assistance.
Crews remain on scene and the cause is under investigation.
Savannah Fire, Chatham EMS and Savannah Police all responded.
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