Boy, 8, Helps Family Escape Douglasville House Fire

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — Fire officials are crediting an 8-year-old boy's speedy response as the reason a family of four was able to escape a house fire Monday.

There were no injuries in the Opal Drive house fire; however, the family and their pet were displaced, according to the Douglas County Fire and Emergency Services.

“When units first arrived at the scene, light smoke was showing from the two-story house” Rick Martin, public information officer, said in a news release. “The family of four was able to safely get out of the house with the help of the family’s 8-year-old son.”

After hearing the blaring of smoke alarms, the boy alerted his family members and they all escaped the home, officials said.

Eric Phillips, deputy fire chief of administration, said crews quickly extinguished the fire on the house's first floor.

The extent of damage is unknown. Though the cause of the fire is still being investigated, fire officials said preliminary results show the cause appears to be electrical.

“This is why it is so important to have working smoke alarms in all homes because working smoke alarm in most cases give you time to escape before the fire and smoke spreads,” Phillips said in the release.

The American Red Cross is assisting the family with housing, fire officials said.

The Douglas County Fire and EMS is offering and installing free residential smoke detectors to all Douglas County residents.

Call (770) 942-8626 for more information.