Rescue: Couple went back inside burning house
The residents of a Bailey Creek Road home were flown to Grady Memorial Hospital and a Fannin County firefighter was slightly injured as the result of a fire Wednesday morning, January 22.
Both residents remained hospitalized Friday, January 24, but were expected to recover and the firefighter was scheduled to return to work Saturday.
Firefighters were dispatched to the Doublehead Gap Road area shortly after 9 a.m. to the report of a car fire with a house in danger.
The first units arriving 11 minutes later found a car on fire parked against the house at 77 Bailey Creek Road and fire consuming about 40 percent of the structure, according to fire department reports.
The first firefighters reported that about three to five minutes after their arrival bystanders told them the residents had gone back inside the house.
Firefighters Michael Schuhle and Gene McClure went around the structure where they saw flames coming about three-quarters of the way down from the ceiling blocking a doorway.
The couple was trying to exit the house, and the two firefighters got them safely out of the burning building.
Both victims immediately began receiving medical care and helicopters arrived for their transport, Fire Chief Larry Thomas said.
The firefighter was injured when he fell on ice after arriving on the scene, suffering minor injuries.