After seeing flames, Georgia deputies save 7 sleeping people from apartment fire

Sgt. Tom Wilson (left), Sgt. Roger Tapia

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Sgt. Tom Wilson (left), Sgt. Roger Tapia

While driving to serve some court documents Monday morning, two Hall County deputies spotted what looked like bright lights coming from an apartment’s window.

Once they realized the light wasn’t holiday decorations but instead was a large fire, they rushed to help and saved seven people who were downstairs sleeping, Channel 2 Action News reported.

Sgt. Roger Tapia and Sgt. Tom Wilson said they wasted no time once they pulled up to the Lanier Terrace Apartments off Summit Street.

“I went door-to-door just banging on the door, getting people to move ... just letting them know there was a fire,” Tapia told Channel 2. “A lot of those people were asleep.”

Four adults and three children were sleeping in a downstairs apartment next to the one that caught on fire due to a space heater, Gainesville fire Division Chief Keith Smith said. The deputies are being credited with saving all of their lives.

“This space heater caught the couch on fire ... and no one knew it until Tom Wilson started banging on the windows and woke them up,” Smith told the news station.

After the fire was extinguished, this photo was taken of where the seven people were sleeping.

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

icon to expand image

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Wilson said six people were able to jump out of a window to safety, while he had to help the seventh person escape as firefighters arrived, Channel 2 reported.

The seven were taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for smoke inhalation, and six of them were treated and released the same day. No one else was injured.

“It’s very, very fortunate that they happened to be driving by and saw that,” Smith said.

Both deputies received internal commendations for their quick thinking and actions.

“The Hall County community is extremely fortunate to have these two individuals as public servants,” Sheriff Gerald Couch said in a statement. “Both are fine law enforcement officers, leaders and people. Those in our profession tend to shy away from accolades, but rest assured, the heroic actions of these two will not be overlooked by our department.”

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