UPDATE: Fatal mobile home fire cause identified

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler confirmed Tuesday morning four people died in a mobile home fire Monday evening.

On Wednesday, Investigator Sam Harris with the Albany Fire Department ruled that food left cooking unattended on the stove was the cause of the deadly blaze.

According to Fowler and Albany Dunes Mobile Home Park property manager Jennifer Parrish, everyone in the home was related.

68-year-old Rosemary Davis was the great-grandmother of seven children in the home. Davis did die from smoke and soot inhalation, as well as three children, ages 1, 2, and 6 years old.

The fire started around 7:15 p.m. at the Dunes Mobile Home Park in the 1000 block of Dunes Ave.

The victims were identified as Rosemary Davis, 68, Devontay Wilson, 1, Christian Gray Jr., 2, and Draya Wilson, 6.

Fowler said all four died from smoke inhalation.

Four other children were in the mobile home as well. The other four children, 8, 4, and two 3-year-olds, were taken to the Augusta Burn Center.

Parrish, was called to the fire last night.

She said everyone was gathered outside hopelessly watching the fire department try to put it out.

Parrish said one of the park’s maintenance workers actually ran inside the home to pull two kids out as the home went down in flames.

He wasn’t ready to talk about last night’s tragic events, but we did speak with Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler who tells us right now all anyone can do is just pray.

“We just need to keep the family in prayer because this is a terrible loss. And all of the families that are connected and it’s just a sad day for that particular family, so I think we need to keep them in prayer,” said Fowler.

Fire crews were at the scene for several hours.

Sam Harris, an investigator with the Albany Fire Department, said the trailer received “extensive damage” from the fire.

The child death task force is assisting in the investigation, officials said.

Officials have not released the cause of the fire and are anticipating releasing more information Tuesday following the investigation.

The community has already started to come together to help this family who has already lost so much.

The American Red Cross and the Albany Fire Department are already out installing new smoke detectors in other mobile homes in the park.

Even though we still don’t know the cause of the fire, Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler is warning everyone to be careful of how you keep warm since it is getting so cold out now.

“We’ve got to be mindful of how we’re keeping warm, with heat or whatever. And we’ve got to be mindful of how we’re keeping our houses warm,” said Fowler.

The Red Cross and AFD teams installed around 100 smoke alarms in mobile homes today.

Officers said they’ll last about 10 years.

The park property manager, Jennifer Parrish, says they are also accepting any donations, like coats and blankets for the family.

Parrish can be contacted at 229-400-9647.

WALB continue to update you on the cause of the fire as we learn more.

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