Body of 7 year-old found in rubble days after house fire kills 4, GA officials say
The bodies of two more people, including a 7-year-old girl, were found in the rubble of a fire that tore through an Atlanta-area home and killed four, Georgia fire officials said.
Crews recovered the bodies of Hailey Harris and her grandmother, Tanya Harris, days after a fire ravaged their Riverdale home Tuesday, Oct. 18, WAGA reported, citing the City of South Fulton Fire Department.
Both were found on the second floor.
Two other adults also died and were pulled from the rubble on Oct. 19, according to WSB-TV. Hailey and her grandmother were found Oct. 20.
Five other relatives escaped the blaze and were treated at a hospital, the news station reported. Their conditions weren’t known as of Oct. 21.
Grieving family members said they’re struggling to stay strong after losing four loved ones.
“My niece, she’s only 7 years old,” Hailey’s uncle Javonte Harris told WGCL. “She didn’t deserve none of this. She was a smart little girl. One of the smartest I know.”
Crews arrived Oct. 18 to find the home covered in thick smoke and flames with part of the roof caved in, according to WAGA. The fire had been burning for some time, making it dangerous for officials to get inside.
“Two-by-fours, flooring, you name it, it’s been compromised,” South Fulton Fire Lt. Eric Jackson told the station. “Looking at it from the backside, that is all sunken in, all fallen in.”
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire, but family members told WSB-TV they suspect a faulty electrical outlet is to blame.
McClatchy News reached out to the City of South Fulton Fire Department for an update on Oct. 21 and was awaiting a response.
A funeral for Hailey has been planned for Wednesday, Oct. 26, according to a GoFundMe started by the family.
Riverdale is about 15 miles south of downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published October 21, 2022 at 2:55 PM with the headline "Body of 7 year-old found in rubble days after house fire kills 4, GA officials say."