Coweta County firefighters save trapped man

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - FOX 5 News spoke with the man firefighters saved from his burning home in Coweta County last week. Also, those heroes are explaining what it was like for them to battle the flames and thick smoke to save him.  

Not much be seen even hinting at a fire from looking at the outside of the family’s home on Doc Perry Road. For the real story of danger and the life-saving heroics of what happened inside, the story has to be told in their own words from those who were there, like Rex Chatham the man who was saved.

SkyFOX Drone above home in Coweta County

“I see a lot of stupidity on my part and I am grateful to the guys who pulled me out,” Chatman said.

The Coweta County Fire Department says it plans to recognize Lt. Matt Dailey, Lt. Jason Jordan and Capt. Larry Williams for their bravery.

Lt. Jason Jordan, Capt. Larry Williams and Lt. Matt Dailey of the Coweta County Fire Department.

“We were able to use thermal imagery to find the man in the thick smoke,” Lt. Dailey said.

Lt. Jordan said the smoke was just as deadly as the flames, so finding the victim fast was important. 

“We found him laying within a doorway face down,” he said.

Rex Chatham

Chatman said he was cooking salmon filets for dinner and fell asleep. “This has been home for 40 years and because of my stupidity it can’t be any more,” Chatman said.

When firefighters arrived they say the fast-moving flames had fully engulfed the kitchen and were between them and Chatham, blocking them from finding and rescuing him. 

One firefighter knocked down the blaze, while two searched for the man inside using the thermal imaging cameras.  They say the smoke stretched from the ceiling to below their waists. 

“Really, we didn’t think about it at the time,” Capt. Larry Williams said. “We just did what we were supposed to do. Use our training and we got him out.”

Chatham’s condition was so critical at the time he was flown to Grady Memorial Hospital. He has only recently been released and could not be more grateful to the Coweta County Firefighters 

“I want to give them and hug and thank them,” Chatman said. 

Firefighters were also successful in resuscitating the family dog.