The cry for help was too late. On Oct. 20, a man died in a house fire before the Harrison County firefighters could get to him. The story isn’t out to how the fire started but Keith Peterson, the victim, was celebrating his 64th birthday.
Before Peterson’s fatal death, he called the police to notify them of what was happening around him. The room he was in during the fire and the call was the only room not in flames, but the heat around it was intensifying.
Moments before, multiple witnesses surrounded the house and made reports on the smoking house. After several reports were made, they knew this fire was nothing to fool around with. This fire was going to put people in danger.
Fire Chief Pat Sullivan went to explain, “This was one of the most extreme rescue attempts his department has ever been part of.”
As the fire was bursting through most doors and windows, the Harrison County Fire and Rescue arrived 4 minutes after the beginning of the 6:30 pm call.
The first of the many units arrived with a blazing monster in front of them. Many firefighters went into the house only to discover that it was going to be a hard task getting to the room with objects falling and with the room engulfed in flames.
With no time to waste, they found Peterson, but the ceiling of the room was now in flames.
Courage rushed over the brave soldiers. Attempting to avoid getting fire on them and Peterson they made their way out of the house.
In a rush, they made it out of the house, but it was too late for Keith Peterson. The paramedics pronounced the victim dead.
