Neighbors Lending a Hand to Save One of Their Own

The Rincon community is in mourning and rallying to help three children whose father was killed in a fire and whose mother was seriously burned.

And several neighbors are being credited with entering the burning home to save the woman.

The fire in the 200 block of Greene drive happened about one o'clock Saturday morning.  That’s when neighbors first saw the flames and went to help. 

 Vernon Warner, 39,  was later found dead inside the home.

 Three children - ages 13, 9 and two - were able to get out of the house. 

Warner’s wife, Audrey tonight is being treat at the burn center in Augusta after being burned on at least 40 percent of her body. 

For the quiet Westwood Heights neighborhood, last Friday started off like all the rest.

Cliff Helmey had just pulled in his drive way from a long day at work, but then he says he saw something terribly wrong.

“We heard screams and we saw two children running. And I ran to the house where i saw fire.”

Kevin McCoy just wrapped up game night with family and friends.  After dropping a friend off at home, he also says he heard something out of the ordinary, but knew it was bad when he saw Cliff.

“When I heard the screams, I just thought it was a Friday night and there was a fight somewhere. But as soon as I turned the corner and saw the flames, I knew where Cliff was running. I pulled right up in the yard with him, and I thought, ‘Oh I know that family. Those kids play with my kids.’”

The screams the men heard were the two oldest children, who were already outside the home.  

Watching the flames engulf their house, they were crying for their mother, Audrey who was still inside. Helmey says they sprung into action.

“I kicked in the doors and windows to try to get some of the smoke out of the house.  I heard her screaming for help, so I tried to run around to the front. “

McCoy was there, trying to call out to Audrey with some of the other neighbors.

“Another neighbor came with a flash light and we saw her on the floor. At that point we knew we had to go in and get here.  There she is. She can’t make it to us; we have to go to her.”

The men drenched themselves with water, and took turns pulling Audrey out.  Helmey say if they had been a minute late, she might not have made it.

“She said thank you, she kept saying thank you and I told her she was going to be okay and the children were out.”

But as it turns out, her husband Vernon was still in the home and the flames were so intense, no one could go back in.  

Audrey is alive because of the kindness and bravery of her neighbors --men and women that didn’t know each other before, but now are like family.

If you would like to help this famiy, neighbors are collecting clothes for the girls and Audrey. Donations can be dropped off at 218 Greene Drive in Rincon.