Woman rescued, man jumped from home on fire

A Cherokee County woman was hospitalized after she was pulled from a fire at her home. She was one of five people rescued from a home on Cardinal Drive early Friday morning.

Firefighters were able to rescue the woman from a back bedroom around 1 a.m. Three others were able to get out through the thick smoke from the smoldering home, including one who jumped from a second-story window. And in addition to all of the human lives they saved, fire officials said they pulled four animals to safety.

Firefighters said they used a special tool to get the woman who was trapped in her room out of there. There wasn’t a lot of fire damage, but the heavy smoke was just as dangerous and posed the greatest risk to those inside and the firefighters trying to reach them.

“We were told there was one female still trapped inside the house,” said Woodstock Fire Chief David Soumas. “Two firefighters went in with a thermal imaging camera and were able to find her in a back bedroom. Severe burns to her upper torso, hands and forearms. She was rushed to Grady Hospital.”

Fire investigators said the fire began in an upstairs bathroom, but didn’t spread quickly. Instead, it brought visibility down to just a few feet, if that.

“Those thermal imaging cameras, they allow you to see through smoke. So, they are very important tool in our toolbox. And we are able to go through a smoke-filled house even with the heat and smoke and identify objects,” the chief said.

The woman, whose name has not been released, was in serious condition Friday evening at Grady Memorial Hospital.

The four dogs, they suffered some smoke inhalation, but are expected to recover.

The rest of those in the house are expected to be okay.

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