Five-year-old saves family from house fire on 3rd Avenue

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)— Thursday, June 16 around 10 a.m. a fire completely engulfed a home on 3rd Ave. closest to the intersection of 43rd St.

News 3 arrived on the scene around 12 p.m., at that time Fire & EMS, American Red Cross, and officers with the Columbus Police Department had 3rd Ave. blocked off from 42nd to 43rd St.

Fire and EMS left the scene before 1 p.m., by that point the fire had been extinguished and there was no active threat.

The home was a total loss, and four individuals were displaced as a result of the fire. Division Chief of Columbus Fire John Shull tells News 3 the family says a 5-year-old occupant woke up the adult in the home during the fire giving the family enough time to vacate the home safely and with no injuries.

Chief Shull says there were no smoke detectors in the home and there is no telling what the outcome could have been without the 5-year-old alerting the adult in time.

There has been no confirmation of the start of the blaze, Chief Shull says they are still investigating.