A heroic trash collector went inside a burning home Thursday morning to rescue a man unable to get out on his own, the Cherokee County fire department said.
But despite the efforts, the 65-year-old died from his injuries, investigators said.
Shortly before 10 a.m., firefighters were sent to Hollow Drive near Woodstock after a 911 caller reported a house was on fire. Minutes later, another person called 911: a man who identified himself as the trash collector. The man said he had rescued a resident from inside the home, the fire department said.
When firefighters arrived, the 65-year-old man was on the ground in the front yard. Capt. Josh Wilkie said he assigned one of the firefighters to take care of the man while others began to fight the blaze.
The man was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, but died from his injuries. His name was not released.
The man’s wife was also taken to the hospital and survived, investigators said.
Firefighters were able to get the blaze under control around 10:45 a.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
