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God bless this family!
A 6-year-old girl clung to life Saturday after surviving a south Augusta house fire that killed her mother, sister and cousin.
Hains Elementary School pupil Shakira Rouse was in critical condition in the intensive care unit of the Medical College of Georgia Children's Medical Center, a spokeswoman said.
Firefighters credited neighbor Joseph Connor, 19, his father and his uncle with pulling the child from a smoke-filled home in the 3200 block of Kevin Drive late Friday.
Efforts to rescue her mother, Yolanda Hankerson, 36, sister Laquisha Rouse, 9, and cousin Zyon Nelson, 4, were not successful. Ms. Hankerson died at the scene, and the two children died Saturday at the hospital. Laquisha also attended Hains Elementary.
"I was just thinking, 'Let's get the kids,' " Mr. Connor said. "I felt like I had to do that."
Mr. Connor, who said he hopes to become a firefighter, was performing first aid when the Richmond County Fire Department arrived about 11:15 p.m., Lt. Carlton Bradley said. Firefighters said they found Ms. Hankerson dead in the kitchen, where it appeared she had tried to extinguish a fire on the stove.
Investigators believe smoke inhalation caused the deaths, but the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's crime lab in Atlanta might not have autopsy results for weeks, Lt. Bradley said.
Another daughter, Chaquan Rhodes, said her mother was frying fish Friday night when the fire began. The 16-year-old said she left home just 10 minutes before she got the call about her mother's death.
"I still remember what she said, 'What time will you be back?' I told her I was coming right back," Chaquan said. "I blame myself, because if I would have stayed, I wouldn't have let her cook."
Chaquan, her family and Ms. Hankerson's neighbors were still in shock Saturday.
Mr. Connor's mother, Verna Connor, said Ms. Hankerson was an at-home mom who had lived in the neighborhood about eight years. Less than a year ago, she had helped an elderly man out of a house fire.
"That's just how she was. She would do anything for you," Mrs. Connor said. "She was everybody's momma. It makes me mad to think she's gone."
Reach Stephanie Toone at (706) 823-3215 or stephanie.toone@augustachronicle.com.
IN THE EVENT OF A GREASE FIRE
- Leave immediately, closing the door behind you to help contain the fire, then call 911.
- If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are evacuating and there is a clear path to an exit.
- Always keep a lid nearby when you're cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan is completely cool.
- After a fire, the stove should be checked before being used again.
Source: National Fire Protection Association
COOKING SAFETY
- Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
- Keep anything that can catch fire -- oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains -- away from your stovetop.
- Keep the stovetop, burners and oven clean.
- Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can catch fire if it comes in contact with a flame or burner.
- Have a "kid-free zone" of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
Source: National Fire Protection Association
Comments
God bless this family!
Prayers are being sent up for this family. One question though, where was the 16 year old girl going at 11:00 at night?
she saved a man a few months before from a fire ? sounds like God called her home ! she did her job !!! Oh yeah Chaquan listen she was here for a reason and then he called her home, now smile for there was nothing you could do about his will ! not your fault !
Debby, that is a grossly inappropriate thing to say.That poor little girl just lost 3 members of her family, including her mother. My condolences to the family, and prayers and comfort to Chaquan and Shakira. Chaquan, don't feel guilty. This could've happened at any time. The Lord spared you for a reason.
A fire doubles in size every 2 minutes. Get your family out of the house. Use a neighbor's phone or a cell phone to call 911. Everything you have in your house can be replaced except your life and the lives of your family members. My thoughts and prayers to the victims and the family. Just a tragic situation all the way around.
Such a tragic story...my prayers to the family........the 16 year said "I blame myself, because if I would have stayed, I wouldn't have let her cook." You can not blame yourself........but why would you have stopped her from cooking?? Was the kitchen unsafe?
baby do not blame yourself. god has a way of doing things. and he was not ready for you yet. he left you behind for a reason. seek god for strength he will be there for you.
Does it really matter where the girl was going? Just pray for her and her family. The poor thing is blaming herself for this tragedy, but she probably couldn't have stopped it and may very well have succumbed to the smoke as well. Thank God she did leave the house, it saved her life.
I worked with Yolanda several years ago and she was the sweetest person you could ever meet. This breaks my heart.
Again my sympathy to the family. But I now wonder what the daughter meant by, I wouldnt have let her cook. Was she ill, medication, alcohol, disabled? Just curious.... odd thing to say. Not If I was there I could have helped, but if I was there I wouldnt have let her cook. Cooking is a normal thing for a mom to do, hmmm.
i don't know who this Debby person is but she just sounds like a total b---h to me anyway no one is to blame trust me accidents do happen and no one can explain gods work just pray for this family and god will see them through
Just asked a question...no need to get all ugly about it.
May god be with the family through this time. You have my prays with your family, be strong and keep the faith.
What would you expect a grief-stricken and distraught 16 year old to say? What would you expect anyone to say in that situation?
When I was 16, I was in college and I worked 30 hours per week. And I was often out at 11 o'clock at night and I wasn't doing anything wrong.
Debby, it seems the only reason you asked this is to be able to stand in judgement of someone who had just tragically lost members of her family. How cruel and non-compassionate! I am praying for this young lady and her family. NO one, and I mean no one, should have to endure what she had just experienced and then have to be attacked by you. Hope you think before you speak like this to anyone else! It truly is a real slap in the face to this young lady, but the biggest lesson for you, it really is none of your business!
did u ever think that may be she said she wouldn't have let her cook, simply because she would have done it for her mother. because thats . what a 16 year old child would do. give the family a break. they are going through enough don't you think? god be with you heartless people.god don't like ugly.
many prayers and blessings to the family in these trying times, keep your heads up and look to the hills.
a rave to a dorothy hains elementary for all the support there giving to the students that lost there friend laquisha in the home fire friday... my heart goes out to the class and students that are mourning her lose ... i have kids there and the school today was awesome ,and very supportive ...i feel blessed that my kids are in a school that has support threw hard times like this... its just so sad what happened..my heart goes out to all the family ,friends,and school mates... God bless hains threw this time and the teachers ,,, and God bless the family threw the loss of the family......have a blessed day...
My daughter attends Hains and is a classmate to this brave lil girl who is still clinging to life. My deepest prayers go out to the family and the HUGE loss that they are dealing with at this time. Our family Prays for your speedy reovery and we to mourn the loss of such a great family. You will be greaty missed Yolanda, Laquisha and Zyon. God bless you all. The Hains family is here for you all in these dire times.
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