Officials have identified two people killed in a tragic South Fulton house fire last week but could not share many details about two other fatalities.
Owens Adams, 52, and Latosha Outlor, 47, were identified as the first two victims whose remains were recovered from the Wednesday morning fire, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office. An investigator confirmed the other two victims were a 49-year-old woman and a 7-year-old, but said she could not release any other information until their next of kin had been officially notified.
South Fulton firefighters were called to the home on Oswego Trail just before 5 a.m., department spokesman Lt. Eric Jackson said. The home was fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived within minutes of the 911 call, and firefighters were told multiple people were trapped inside.
Soon after they arrived, firefighters attacked the blaze from the exterior and large sections of the house began to collapse, Jackson said.
“It didn’t take but a matter of minutes for the room to collapse, that’s how fast it happened,” resident Jerome Harris told Channel 2 Action News on Thursday.
Five people escaped with injuries and were taken to the hospital, according to the fire department. Later that day, Adams’ and Outlor’s bodies were recovered from the burned home.
The search continued Wednesday night for the two other occupants, Jackson said. When they could not be found, the fire department received assistance from Atlanta Fire Rescue, who sent specialists to help stabilize the home’s structure, as well as a Sandy Springs cadaver dog, Jackson said.
Late Thursday afternoon, the bodies of the child and woman were found.
Though officials have not confirmed the child’s identity, a woman identifying herself as the 7-year-old’s mother has shared more details on a GoFundMe page created to raise money for the girl’s funeral.
Onrica Harris, the victim’s mother, identified the girl as Hailey Harris, according to the fundraising page. Hailey’s funeral date has not been set, Onrica Harris said, and few other details were provided. Family members identified the 49-year-old woman as Hailey’s grandmother, according to Channel 2.
Leonard Varnes, a neighbor, told reporters at the scene he had just been woken up by his alarm when he heard sirens.
“When I went to the door, it was just lit up,” he recalled. “I said, ‘Oh, my God,’ and I ran out.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
About the Author
