SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — Investigators in Fulton County are trying to figure out how a Wednesday morning house fire started, which claimed the lives of four people, including a child.
Firefighters recovered the bodies of the final two victims Thursday afternoon in a massive house fire in the City of South Fulton. The family said 12 people lived in the home, and they're still accepting the reality four of them will never return.
It was an emotional wait for Javonte Harris and his family after escaping the home along Oswego Trail just before 5 a.m. Wednesday.
“The fire, it was too intense for anybody to get out except for myself and a few others in the family," Harris said.
Harris said firefighters found the bodies of his aunt LaTasha and her fiancé, Mark Owens, Wednesday. The two were planning their wedding.
“Four of my family members are gone," Harris said.
Cadaver dogs found the two other missing victims Thursday afternoon together on the second floor.
“Our whole house is gone," Harris said. "I lost my momma and my niece and my auntie and my uncle. It’s a lot.”
Harris can't believe his mom Tonya and his niece, 7-year-old Hailey, are gone.
“She was a smart little girl, one of the smartest I know, and as far as my momma, that’s my momma," Harris said. She had me, so that’s a lot for me too."
“It’s very distressing. It’s very disturbing. It’s very sad," Lt. Eric Jackson said.
City of South Fulton Fire & Rescue Lt. Eric Jackson said this tragedy is something they'll never forget.
“What you see is what you see, and it’s a mental picture that stays there," Jackson said. "It doesn’t go away.”
The cause and origin of the fire are under investigation. The family tells 11Alive News the home did have some electrical issues.
“You feel like you’re about to break," Harris said. "It’s too much for us as a family.”