Man catches neighbor moments before burning building collapses

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Neighbors said a DeKalb County teenager is a hero after he helped save victims from a burning apartment.

Flames from the two fast-moving fires destroyed at six apartments and condo units Friday morning at the 2000 block of Ficus Court in Stone Mountain.

After hearing the crackling, spotting the flames and hearing screams from above, Antonio Senior told Channel 2's Steve Gehlbach he only had one thought:

“Save them people. Don't worry about nothing else, save them people... right now,” Senior said.

That's when Senior said he ran toward the burning building and told one of his neighbors trapped on the third floor to jump.

“She was scared,” Senior said. "I said come on baby just jump, I got you! I promise, I got you.

On the second floor of the building at the 1310 apartments off Juliette Road, two roommates also jumped from a window because the fire was in the breezeway blocking their escape.

"Like already in flames, so no going through front door," said resident Javontea Copper.

"I was about to to just jump at first. Someone said they was going to catch me," said resident Christoper Jones. "But dude said get out the way. I'm about to jump, so I hung on it  and said oh this is not that bad, so I dropped."

Meanwhile, Senior said he caught one woman moments before the top floor of the building collapsed.

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"She was so scared," Senior said. "She was shaking and as soon as she jumped, she just laid in my arms, kept hugging me and said thank you, thank you, thank you.”

One woman was taken to the hospital with cuts from jumping out a window.

DeKalb County firefighters had trouble getting enough water pressure all the way to the back of the complex and ran hoses nearby a half-mile from the main road. It took more than 30 firefighters to douse the flames from the air and on the ground.

“We ran across at least three hydrants that had no pressure from Juliette Road,” Capt. Eric Jackson said.

A dozen apartments were destroyed but everyone survived.

Cox Media Group