A woman was killed and her teenage brother critically injured in a fire Sunday morning in Henry County.
And days later, investigators were still trying to determine what caused the early morning blaze.
It was also unclear how the siblings became trapped inside the home while two other adults were able to make out safely.
Shortly before 6 a.m., Henry County firefighters responded to the home at 92 Highway 138 East in Stockbridge after getting a call about a fire, the department’s spokeswoman Capt. Sabrina Puckett said.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke billowing from the single-story wood frame home.
“Two of the four residents were able to escape without injury and were evacuated on arrival,” Capt. Puckett said. “However, units were advised there were still two occupants trapped inside the structure.”
Fire crews immediately began searching for the two family members, she said.
A short time later, they found the two who were rushed to Piedmont Henry Hospital. It’s unclear where in the home the two were found.
The teen, Michael Haney, was later flown to Augusta’s Joseph M. Still Burn Center where he was being treated for severe smoke inhalation, Capt. Puckett said.
His sister, Ms. Karen Prichard, 25, was pronounced dead at the hospital, the captain said.
Firefighters were able to confine the fire to the basement where it started, but there were severe smoke damage throughout the house, Capt. Puckett said.
Firefighters found one smoke detector in the kitchen, but it had no battery, Capt. Puckett said.
Red Cross was contacted to assist the family.
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