Fort Gibson Woman Killed In Fire, Toddler Survives

A Fort Gibson family is mourning the loss of a woman killed in a house fire. But they're also counting their blessings after a toddler was rescued from the flames.

As soon as family members realized what was going on, they rushed to help. Two people escaped, but it was too late for Georgia Reynolds.

What was once a home just outside of Fort Gibson is now rubble. The home is where 88-year-old Georgia Reynolds and several family members lived.

"It was intense. Everybody crying and stuff - 'get my auntie out of there.' But we couldn't reach her in time," said Thomas Sallis, the victim's nephew.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office says Reynolds' sister lived with her. She told deputies before she left to take her granddaughter to school on Monday, she turned off the space heater in the bedroom.

She also said she put wood in the wood-burning stove before heading out the door.

When she and other family members came back about 15 minutes later - they noticed smoke coming out of the home.
Reynolds' nephew, Thomas Sallis, says a 3-year-old boy was rescued.

"My cousin, he just busted the window out and my other cousin handed him out to him and then he crawled out," Sallis said.

While the State Fire Marshal's Office works to determine the exact cause of the fire, Sallis hopes the community will step up and help fix a nearby trailer for the surviving family members to live in.

"One day at a time. Just one day at a time," said Thomas Sallis, fire victim's nephew.

We're told the Salvation Army is working with the family. If you'd like to help out, you can drop off clothing donations at Norwood School.

The family needs clothing for a 3-year-old boy; an 18-year-old girl, size medium; a 43-year-old man, medium shirts and size 34 pants; and an 80-year-old woman, size medium.