SHEILA A. MATHEWS :::
A Spalding County woman lost her life and her six-year-old son was critically-injured in a Saturday morning fire.
Christie Lewis, 44, and her son, six-year-old Zachaury Sevenstars, were the only family members home when the blaze began in their 408 E. McIntosh Road residence. Lewis’s husband left for work in the early morning hours.
According to Spalding County Coroner Sonny Foster, the fire was reported to E911 at 10:01 a.m. when someone from Harris Rentals stopped by the residence.
“He went by the house and thank God he did, because he’s the one who called it in,” Foster said.
Smoke was noticed coming from the rear of the residence, but was initially thought to perhaps be from someone cooking. When no one responded to the door, the man walked around to the rear of the residence, and noticed smoke coming from the eaves.
Lewis died in her residence.
“I pronounced her at 10:45 this morning,” Foster said.
Her cause of death was smoke inhalation and thermal burns.
Sevenstar, who sustained thermal burns and smoke inhalation, was transported to the emergency room of WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital before being flown to the Burn Unit of Augusta Medical Center.
“He was in critical condition when he was flown out, but he’s obviously a strong little boy,” Foster said. “We just hope and pray he’ll be all right.”
Personnel of the Spalding County Fire Department remained on scene throughout the day.
Spalding County Fire Chief Kenny West said the State Fire Marshal was also on scene assisting in the investigation. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
