Fire in Newman, Georgia, Kills mother, Four Children

A mother and four children under the age of five were killed in a fire at a Newman, Georgia, home on Saturday, April 27. The lone survivor, Nautica McCrary, an eleven-year-old girl, was rescued by a neighbor through a window. She was later treated at a hospital and released.

The fire took place in the early morning hours. A neighbor reported it to the police around 1 a.m.

MyFoxAtlanta, a local affiliate, reported that 27-year-old Alonna McCrary perished trying to save the other four children after Nautica had escaped. Five-year-old daughter Eriel McCrary, 3-year-old Messiah White, 2-year-old Nikia White, and 1-year-old Makinzie Florence all died in the blaze.

Investigators believe that the fire was accidental and caused by a faulty circuit breaker in the den of the home. Although there was a smoke detector present, officials say the unit was so badly damaged by the fire that they couldn’t determine whether it had been functioning at the time of the fire.

Roxanne Arnold, who is Nautica McCrary’s aunt, commended the mother’s bravery in attempting to save her childrens’ lives. “She just insisted she wasn’t going to let them babies go,” she told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “That’s what I applaud her for. She was risking her own life to get the babies.”

According to the source, Alonna McCrary had contacted her landlord in the days leading up to the tragedy to have him see to an electrical issue, and although he had been to the house to check out the problem, it was never fixed.

Tragedies like this are avoidable, and we urge all Atlanta residents and property owners to make sure they have a well-maintained residential fire alarm system that is monitored 24/7 by an Atlanta alarm company. Call us today at (770) 645-0061 to find out what can be done to protect your loved ones from fire and home invasions.