June 12, 2004
Albany -- An Albany mother is making funeral plans for her five year old autistic son. Jaylan Hunt was killed in a fire late last night at the Wild Pine Apartments. Neighbors say before fire fighters arrived several people tried to rescue the boy from the home but were unsuccessful.
This was the scene Friday night at Wild Pine apartments just moments after fire fighters put out the blaze that trapped a five year-boy inside his bedroom.
"When I first came here I heard people running and screaming," says one neighbor.
Neighbors say the child's mother Cassandra Hunt was outside talking to friends when someone said they smelled smoke and heard a fire alarm sounding off inside her home.
"That's when Cassandra ran in the house, ran in her room, grabbed her little girl and tired to run in her little boys room but she couldn't because the door was sealed. When she ran out she told us please help her save her little boy," says neighbor Anita Jones.
Witness says as the mother pleaded for someone to help her rescue her child trapped inside one man burst through the child bedroom window but the smoke coming out was too thick.
"My brother, Carlos, he tried to run into the house with his shirt over his head and tried to get the little boy but he still could not get him," says Jones .
It wasn't until fire fighters came out that 5 year Jaylan Hunt was pulled out of the house. Neighbors say the boy had been badly burned and wasn't conscious. Paramedic tried to revive his before rushing his to the hospital where he later died. It's a loss that leaves neighbors sadden.
"Everyday we seen him get on the bus and get off the bus and we are going to see how they feel Monday morning when that bus comes blows the horn for him and he aint going to be there," says Jones.
Neighbors say they were told the fire started after a lamp fell on the boys bed and started a fire on the sheets but that has not been confirmed. Investigators say the fire is under investigation.
Albany Police who were at the scene tell us it looked as if the 5 year old boy tired to put out the fire himself before he was over taken by the smoke and flames.
posted at 8:50PM by scott.hunter@walb.com
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