Charlotte Firefighters Share Emotional Rescue Stories One Week After Deadly Fire

CHARLOTTE — One week after a five-alarm blaze ravaged a SouthPark construction site, several members of the Charlotte Fire Department shared their emotional experience of battling the blaze, as many of them came face to face with death.

Charlotte Firefighters rescued 15 people at an apartment construction site as smoke and flames raged all around them.  Two workers were killed.  Demonte Sherrill and Reuben Holmes were trapped inside the building and didn’t make it out.

“I made it to the third floor where I was able to see the victims.  Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do, the conditions of the building were too much at that point.  They worsened and I had to escape,” says Chris McMillan, a Charlotte Firefighter.

Firefighters were emotional as they described the daring rescue of a crane operator who was trapped several feet into the air.

“I spoke with him on the radio for roughly 35 minutes ensuring him we would come and get him,” says Captain Bright with CFD.

Thursday evening, dozens gathered at Symphony Park to honor the victims who lost their lives as they thanked first responders for helping keep the community safe.