Family, police chief commend Abbeville officers for saving woman from burning home

At approximately 9:31 p.m., Henry County’s dispatch center received a 9-1-1 call stating there was a fire at 565 Singletary Rd., and that a woman was still in the structure. Henry County dispatched Abbeville Fire/Rescue, Abbeville Police, and multiple surrounding fire departments to the scene, according to a press release from Abbeville Police Chief Eric Blankenship.

Officer Wesley Harrison was on scene only a couple minutes after the call came through. He entered the residence and made contact with an elderly female in her bedroom, according to the release. Harrison picked up the woman and began to carry her out of the house when Investigator Joshua Behringer arrived on scene and assisted getting the woman safely out of the smoke-filled house.

The woman and her daughter, who was also in the residence, suffered from minor smoke inhalation.

Haleburg Rescue transported them to Flowers Hospital for observation.

“I would like to personally commend both of my officers for going above and beyond the call of their duties,” Blankenship said. “There is no doubt the quick response time and the courage they showed was instrumental in helping to save this precious life.”

The woman’s son, Bobby Durr, said his mother is still in the hospital, but is recovering well.

Durr said he thanked Harrison several times Monday night for his quick response.

“He got there so fast,” Durr said on Tuesday. “I said thank you, thank you, thank you. He was courageous to go in there… Obviously, the officer needs to be commended for it. That’s not his job, but he did it anyway.”

Durr added that all the first responders did a great job responding to the Monday night emergency.

Everything was lost in the fire, Durr said. Abbeville Fire Department is still investigating the cause of the fire, but Durr said it was likely electrical.