‘I want to stay longer’: Former Macon-Bibb County fire chief recalls deadly fire, 10 years later

VIDEO: Itโ€™s been a decade since a devastating house fire on Fairview Drive forever changed the life of Macon-Bibb County Battalion Chief Stephen Stafford. On February 11, 2015, what began as a seemingly routine fire call turned deadly when flames engulfed a single-story brick home off Rocky Creek Road. While the occupants inside escaped safely, the fire claimed the life of one of their own โ€” Lieutenant Randy Parker โ€” and left Stafford with severe injuries that ultimately led to his retirement. โ€œNothing stood out at first,โ€ Stafford said, speaking from his home, now 10 years removed from the blaze.ย But within minutes of arriving on the scene, the fire escalated, and the homeโ€™s floor collapsed, trapping firefighters inside.ย Stafford, determined to rescue his crew, removed his breathing apparatus to communicate more clearly and joined the effort to pull the men out.

WMAZ-TV CBS 13 Macon

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