COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — Brooke Walker and her brother-in-law Michael spent the afternoon going through the ash left behind by a devastating fire.
They were searching for any photos or phones that may have memories of loved ones lost in the fire.
“All I have is the memories here,” Walker said.
Her brother-in-law Michael was too emotional to speak to Channel 2 Action News. He lost three people in the fire: his long-time significant other Katie and two of his sons, Johnathan and Jared.
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Walker says that Katie loved her children and worked at a nearby Pre-K/daycare.
“Everyone loved her. She could make you laugh at anything,” Walker said.
She says Katie’s sons both loved baseball and were close with her eight-year-old daughter.
“Very sweet, kind loving. I was just playing baseball with them in our yard. It is crazy to think how they are not here anymore,” Walker said.
On Monday morning, firefighters arrived at the family home minutes after receiving their first 911 call. Firefighters say five family members were already safe outside but learned six others were still trapped in the house.
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Coweta Fire Capt. Matt Williams says the smoke was so intense they needed a thermal imaging camera to locate the six family members before going through a room near a back window.
Firefighters got all six trapped family members out -- but life-saving measures came too late, as Katie, her parents, her two sons, and her nephew died
“This event in the Coweta fire was the largest loss of life we have received in at least my 28 years of working in fire and rescue,” Coweta County Fire Chief Robby Flanagan said.
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Walker said her heart also went out to the other side of the family. However, for her and her brother-in-law, they will try to move on and remember their loved ones.
“I love y’all, and I miss y’all, and I will see you on the other side,” Walker said.
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