Firefighters describe heroic rescue of 5 people from intense 3rd-floor fire

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Firefighters who rescued five people from a Sunday morning apartment fire described the moments they pulled a family to safety as flames destroyed the building.

Christopher Carter – a Chatham County firefighter – said he saw people hanging out a window when crews arrived around 4 a.m.

“I literally just set up the ladder right here and prepared for rescue,” Carter said.

Body camera footage captured the family’s cries for help, met with calm but direct directions from Chatham County Police officers

SEE: Mother throws daughters from third-story window during Georgetown apartment fire

Training prepared crews for rescue

The fire destroyed the entire building and left families without their belongings. Each family however, says they are thankful no person was majorly injured.

Joshua Anderson – Chatham County Fire’s Safety and Training Chief, said he watched Carter and captain John-William Farrell develop throughout their careers.

“Assigning them those tasks to do, I had the confidence in them to do it,” Anderson said. “That’s what we prepare for, for situations like this. The crew that actually made the rescue out the window were all back there, we were doing this same scenario at 2 o’clock that afternoon before.”

Two county police officers and two county firefighters worked together to make a complete rescue.

Residents displaced, investigation ongoing

Every neighbor affected by the fire has been offered a new room. Stephen Frazier, who saved his dog Dutchess, was moved to a one-bedroom unit in another building.

“I had a two-bedroom, it’s a one over in another building, but I’m so grateful to have it,” Frazier said.

Tanasia Grant and her daughters, 5-year-old Autumn and 4-year-old Alaya, continue to struggle with the trauma of being dropped from the third floor window. The children have difficulty sleeping and processing the morning they lost everything.

However, the mother says she is beyond grateful for the swift help of the police officers and firefighters that saved their lives.

Carter says he was simply doing his job.

“We just did our jobs man, I’m just happy, happy I did okay, that’s it,” Carter said.

The Georgia Arson Control has posted a reward sign at the scene. The case has been handed over to the state fire marshal, and the investigation into how the fire started is ongoing.