Construction crew, neighbors save man, disabled wife from house fire in DeKalb County

By Joi Dukes and Billy Heath

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A plume of smoke towered over Decatur in DeKalb County around 9 a.m. Saturday.

A home on Delcourt Drive was ablaze, and first responders were en route.

The initial response, however, came from a construction crew working at Druid Hills Middle School across the street.

They saw the fire and immediately sprang into action.

BREAKING: DeKalb County Firefighters battling fierce house fire on Delcort Drive in Decatur, GA. Everyone has made it out of the home safely. The smoke from this one can be seen for miles. That’s what alerted me to the emergency. @FOX5Atlanta #ATL #NEWS pic.twitter.com/rB6EMNauK6

— Billy Heath III (@BillyHeathFOX5) June 29, 2024

Kevin Davis, from Air Force 1 HVAC, his team, and two neighbors rushed to the home and safely escorted the homeowners up the driveway out of harm's way.

"I've never seen guys so big move so fast down this hill. All the construction crew came right in," said neighbor Andrew Zamon.

"My mom died in a house fire, so I knew it was important to get over there," said Scott Banks, the other brave neighbor.

Allen Kline, the homeowner, confirmed this heroic account. He just barely made it out of the door, pulling his deaf and immobile wife, Jane, to safety.

"I collapsed a little bit, just out of weakness," he told FOX 5 Atlanta.

Kline expressed immense gratitude to everyone involved in the rescue effort who helped them get to safety.

"It’s just remarkable," he said. "I had God to thank, and I have the people who were connected to me to thank."

Kevin Davis was leading the Air Force 1 HVAC crew at Druid Hills Middle School when they realized the house was on fire and sprang into action.

Upon arrival, DeKalb County firefighters encountered intense flames and heavy smoke. The extreme heat on Saturday only made it tougher to put out the flames.

"It was like being next to a huge barbecue, you could just feel the heat," Zamon said.

The fire crew ensured the house was evacuated and worked diligently to extinguish the fire.

Kline expressed gratitude that he and his wife were alive. His wife was transported to a nearby hospital for burn treatment to her back. 

"This is why I love this neighborhood. Everybody's looking out for each other. Everybody's on walks. Everybody's checking in on their neighbors," Zamon said. "This is when it really counts."

Kline told FOX 5 his wife is also diagnosed with cancer. She was taken to the hospital to be treated for burns on her back. Kline suffered mild burns to his arms. Still, he says he's just grateful to be alive, and for everyone who stopped what they were doing to help them.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined.

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Construction crew, neighbors save man, disabled wife from house fire in DeKalb County