8 People, Including 5 Children, Injured In Cherokee House Fire

BALL GROUND, GA — Eight people, including five children, were injured Tuesday evening in a house fire in northeast Cherokee County. Firefighters with Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services responded to a call of a fire just after 11 p.m. at 1198 Franklin Goldmine Road, which is near the Forsyth County line.

9-1-1 dispatchers were told by a neighbor that the house next door was on fire,CCFES said. Crews from Free Home Fire Station's Squad 4 were the first to arrive to the scene of the burning one-story wooden structure (For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here).

Cherokee Sheriff's Office deputies also responded to the scene where an eight-year-old child was found unresponsive in the front yard by a sergeant. Sgt. Campbell assessed that child and repositioned the juvenile's neck to allow the victim to breath independently. Another deputy helped the victims by moving them from near the house to the driveway where they could be assessed by fire personnel.

The five children and three adults were rushed to an area hospital where they were treated for burns and smoke inhalation "ranging from minor to critical injuries," said Support Services Division Chief Danny West.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined at this time and the investigation remains active.

Return to Patch for updates.

Images via Tim Cavender/Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services