Five Lives Lost in Devastating House Fire in Cohutta, Georgia
Cohutta, Georgia – A tragic house fire early Wednesday morning claimed the lives of five individuals in Cohutta, Georgia. The fire, which occurred in the early hours of the day, has left the local community in shock and mourning.
Francisco Javier Sandoval, a neighbor to the victims, shared his heartbreak as he recalled how his granddaughter was friends with one of the children who perished in the fire. “Actually, my granddaughter is friends with one of the kids. They go to school together,” Sandoval said, adding that his grandchild is now grieving the loss. Sandoval had no knowledge of the tragedy until he saw emergency response teams arriving at the scene. “I was like, ‘You know, hopefully nobody’s hurt,’ but it ended up that they passed away,” he added.
Whitfield County Fire Chief Paul Patterson spoke about the emotional toll of witnessing such a devastating incident, which claimed the lives of three young boys and two adult women. “I think it’s the reality that I think all of the PTSD that I’m sure I have,” Patterson remarked, emphasizing the difficulty of dealing with such a heartbreaking event.
First responders arrived within minutes, with one of the victims reportedly calling dispatch to report the fire. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, as stated by Deputy State Fire Commissioner Tony Pritchett. “Regardless of how many times you see a situation like this, it’s always tough,” Pritchett remarked.
Patterson urged residents to ensure that their homes are equipped with functioning smoke detectors, as they can be life-saving. He mentioned that, based on initial reports, the home involved in the fire did not have working smoke detectors. “Smoke detectors, smoke detectors, smoke detectors,” he said, stressing the importance of fire safety.
In light of the tragedy, a GoFundMe account has been set up to assist with funeral expenses for the victims’ families.
