Fatal Foley Fire

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By Debbie Williams Reporter

M50o93H7pQ09L8X1t49cHY01Z5j4TT91fGfr Fatal Foley Fire

Published: Fri, January 04, 2008 - 4:01 pm

Debbie Williams

Frantic cries for help ring out through a neighborhood overnight as flames race through a Foley home killing one person and leaving another fighting for his life.
The flames were fierce according to Foley Fire Chief Jamie Hinton. "Basically the whole back of the house involved with fire coming out the windows and out part of the roof."
It was just after one o'clock in the morning when next door neighbor Janie Gardner heard a loud banging on her door. "That fella had blood all over him. He had broken a window out over there I understand and must have been sleeping nude cause he was naked out here in the yard and it 35 degrees."
Chief Hinton says, "He literally ran through a glass storm door to get out of the house." But still inside, his girlfriend, Cynthia Brooks.
"The guys made a valiant effort but the fire was too advanced," says Hinton.
Once they were both aware there was a fire there was mad dash to get out of the house. He grabbed her hand and tried to pull her out but she fell. Her body was found about 13 feet from the same door he had escaped through.
Brooks mother, Bernice says everybody knew her daughter. "She was a real good person she liked everybody and everybody around her liked her."
Her neighbors will certainly miss her. "It just saddens me so cause she was a real nice lady," says Gardner.
Investigators believe a candle left burning in the kitchen started the fire.
John Sampson is listed in critical condition in a Pensacola hospital. Fire investigators say there was one working smoke detector but it was in the front of the house, away from the flames.

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