A passerby who alerted residents that their home was on fire may have saved their lives.
However, the family’s pets perished in the house fire early Saturday morning.
“It was two cats and one dog that didn’t make it,” Eatonton Fire Chief Jamey Williamson said. “And their car burned up, too. But the family said they were thankful someone let them know to get out.”
The good Samaritan was driving by about 7 a.m. and noticed flames and black smoke billowing through the roof of the brick ranch-style house on the 800 block of Monticello Road.
“Whoever it was pulled into the driveway and called 911 and kept blowing their car horn trying to make sure everyone woke up and got out of the house,” Williamson said.
Inside at the time were a mother and two teens, according to Williamson, who said the woman’s husband was at work at the time. Williamson said the family was unaware their house was on fire until they heard the vehicle’s horn sounding repeatedly. Williamson noted that when he arrived, he didn’t hear any smoke alarms sounding inside.
Both the county and city fire departments received the call, and although the address is within the city limits, Williamson said the county’s fire trucks arrived on scene first.
“Our trucks pulled up behind them and hooked up to the fire hydrants and started feeding their trucks water,” he added.
The fire appeared to have started in the carport and utility room area, where it burned through the attic and roof, and spread throughout the house, according to Williamson, who said the house was a total loss. The family was renting the house from owner Keith Davis.
“We called in the Red Cross, and the local Service League contacted me and got info; so, the local people are giving them some assistance,” Williamson said.
Both lanes of State Route 16 were closed while firefighters battled the blaze for nearly three hours. The fire chief explained that the fire hoses were hooked up to hydrants on the other side of the road and stretched across the road.
“The good thing was, we had so many firefighters that we could keep swapping them in and out, so they didn’t get too tired,” he added.