WALESKA, Ga. — A 10-year-old boy in Cherokee County is being called a hero after saving his entire family from a house fire early Thursday morning.
When Cherokee County firefighters arrived at the home on Silver Creek Drive just before 2 a.m., the top floor and front of the house were on fire.
Public Information Officer Tim Cavender said the family inside made it out just in time.
Cavender said the four members of the Knight family were asleep when the flames broke out. They were able to escape right before the roof collapsed -- all because of their 10-year-old son, Zezo.
"He heard a popping sound, he thought it was first fireworks and he got up and checked it out and saw that the house was on fire," said Cavender.
After quickly waking up his parents, Cavender said they grabbed his little brother and they all ran out. The family was on their way outside before the smoke detectors even went off.
The fire heavily damaged the home.
"I told Zezo, I said, 'you're a hero,' and he sort of laughed and said, 'no, I'm not,'" Cavender told 11Alive. "I said, 'yes you are, this stuff can be replaced, the lives cannot.'"
Cavender said this is a good reminder for all families to talk to their kids and have a fire plan in place. For tips, visit Cherokee County's website.
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