WR man dies following Tuesday apartment fire

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — A Warner Robins resident was “severely burned” in a Tuesday morning apartment fire, later succumbing to their injuries late Thursday night, according to Coroner James Williams.

Medical personnel airlifted Troy Ellis Holland, 55, of Warner Robins, to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta following the situation at the Richmond II Apartments, located at 1008 Feagin Mill Road.

The Journal spoke with Deputy Chief Chris Cannady of the Warner Robins Fire Department for more details on the matter.

Cannady said WRFD was dispatched just after midnight Tuesday in regards to “heavy fire conditions” at the scene.

“We had heavy fire conditions in one of the apartments and found a victim inside, removed them quickly and then made a quick knockdown of the fire to keep it from spreading to adjacent apartments,” Cannady explained.

Personnel assisted with escorting the residents of adjacent apartments away from the blaze, as Cannady described safety as the department’s top priority.

Cannady added that in the apartment where the fire started, there were flames showing through the roof at one point. Fire spread damaged the apartments on either side of it, but firefighters worked to prevent more damage beyond that.

“The crews did an outstanding job of cutting the fire off and putting the fire out,” Cannady said.

Reflecting on the situation, he said the department worked and handled the situation just as they were taught to do so, with urgency to boot.

“They did [the job] quickly, which is how we practice and how we train,” Cannady said. “They performed rescue to begin with, and we had crews simultaneously arriving on scene, pulling attack lines and attacking the fire.”

He said the department received the initial alarm at 12:11 a.m., the first units arriving six minutes later and all personnel ultimately leaving the scene at 3:22 a.m.

According to Cannady, WRFD had eight of its own units on scene, including engines, ladders, ladder trucks, command vehicles and safety vehicles.

As of press time Tuesday, the cause of the fire is unknown, and the situation is under investigation.

HHJ News