Siblings identified in Henry County house fire

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — Authorities have identified the people involved in an early-morning house fire in northern Henry County.

Authorities do not suspect foul play was involved in the fire that started in the basement of the home at 192 Highway 138 East near Redwood Valley Road.

Two of the four residents were able to escape without injury.

Neighbors told Channel 2's Carl Willis a 15-year-old boy ran back into the burning house to save his older sister, but something went wrong.

"She has a mental problem and she was fighting with him. She was scared and didn't know what was going on," the neighbor said.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, they learned the siblings were inside and began searching for them.

Both victims were located and transported to Piedmont Henry Hospital. The teen, identified as Michael Haney, was later flown to Augusta’s Joseph M. Still Burn Center, where he was treated for severe smoke inhalation in the hyperbaric chamber.  His sister Karen Prichard, 25, was pronounced dead at Piedmont Henry Hospital.

Red Cross was notified and provided assistance to the family at the scene.

"From what I saw, the downstairs was the main body of the fire. The upstairs was not. It was just smoke damage on the top floor," said Matthew Lavendar of the Red Cross.

Lavendar said the Red Cross will do whatever they can to help the family involved in the fire.

"We will provide lodging for them and food at this point. We're not sure of all the other particulars. We'll also provide comfort for their family members that were injured," he said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

WSBTV