Boy, 10, Dies In House Fire; Cartersville, Cobb Communities In Mourning

CARTERSVILLE, GA — The Cartersville and Cobb communities are mourning the death of a 10-year-old boy who died Friday in a house fire.

The boy has been identified as Walker Phillips, the son of former University of Georgia quarterback Corey Phillips and former UGA gymnast Courtney Phillips, according to 11Alive.

Firefighters were called to the house on Galway Drive around 3 a.m. Friday, WSB-TV reported. The house was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.

"It took more than 20 Firefighters to bring the fire under control, after battling flames for several hours using multiple pieces of equipment," the Cartersville Fire Department said in a news release, WSB-TV reported.

Walker was pronounced dead at the scene. He was a fourth-grade student at North Cobb Christian School in Kennesaw, the Marietta Daily Journal reported.

Corey and Courtney were out of town at the time of the fire, but came home immediately. Walker's brother and sister — who are also North Cobb Christian School students — as well as his grandmother made it out of the house.

Pastor James Griffin, the lead pastor of Crosspoint City Church in Cartersville, told 11Alive that it had been a "tough few days" for the family.

“Everything has been so fresh and so raw,” Griffin told 11Alive. “This is a family that is loved in this community, and really the biggest need, at this point, has been prayer, and that is what the family has asked for, and that is what the family has communicated they need most. I pass that along on their behalf, they really need prayer, right now, for God to hold them up, prayer to endure through this really, really difficult time, and so I would say that’s the best way that people can serve the family, right now, today.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Services have not been announced yet.

Read more: Boy, 10, Dies In Cartersville House Fire Friday Morning