An older man has died after a house fire that happened around 10 p.m. in Seven Hills on Thursday at a house on Ridgewood Drive.
Pastor Chris Helton told News 5 that he was taking his garbage up the driveway to the curb when he noticed an orange glow inside one of the house windows. He sprang into action, but unfortunately, it was too late.
“I just pray that he was received into the arms of God's mercy and embraced by that eternal love," Helton said.
Pastor Helton said as he got closer, he could see the flames in the window.
"As I got closer, I really thought, oh my God, a fire," Helton recalled.
Helton said he banged on the front door.
“I yelled his name, no response, but it did draw out one of the neighbors," Helton said.
The two proceeded to go around and try all the other doors, but they got no response.
“When the window started to shatter from the heat of the fire, I backed off," said Helton. "Thats when I called 911, quick response, police department first, then the fire department.”
Seven Hills Fire Chief James Meklemburg told News 5 that when his crew arrived, they encountered heavy fire from the front of the house.
“Heavy smoke, heavy flames. Neighbors said that there was an elderly male that lived at that home, and they thought that he was probably at home at that time," Meklemberg said.
Once the fire was knocked down, Meklemberg said firefighters went inside and searched the home.
"Not too far away from the fire. They were able to find the male lying on the floor," said Chief Meklemberg. "They were able to pull him out of the house. At that time, everything happened really quickly."
Firefighters pulled the man from the home and began CPR…they rushed him to an awaiting ambulance…unfortunately the man passed away before they could even drive away.
"You know, for us, it's just a tough way to start the year," said Meklemberg. "We are a small community, you know, small city, bedroom community, and you know, to start a year off with a death in a house fire is pretty rough."
Helton told News 5 they did all they could to save their neighbor.
“I think we have to trust ourselves to God's grace. Trust our neighbor to that same grace," said Helton. "Lift him up in prayer and just pray that God will embrace him in divine love, and he'll heal anything that is broken or wounded and grant him eternal life. So that was certainly my prayer last night.”
Helton said his neighbor kept to himself, was very quiet, and was a Vietnam vet.
“[He was] one of those good neighbors who doesn't cause any trouble, seemed like a nice fellow," Helton said.
The fire chief says the cause of the fire is still unknown, and the state fire marshal has been called in to investigate. They also don't know the cause of the man's death, but it is under investigation.
