A house fire in Foley claimed the life of Foley resident Cynthia Maria
Brooks, 49, early Friday morning and injured Foley resident John Sampson,
who was visiting her at the time.
The fire, which began around 1:10 a.m. at 608 W. Magnolia Ave., was the
result of an unattended candle located in the kitchen catching a cushion
on fire, which ignited a table, The Foley Fire Department said. The department responded four minutes after receiving the call and had the fire controlled within 14.
According to lead investigator Tom Kiel, Brooks and Sampson were sleeping
in a bedroom in the rear portion of the house when the fire began. The two awoke shortly after but found themselves engulfed in the blaze. Kiel said Sampson attempted to lead Brooks out of the house, but lost hold of her hand when she fell.
Due to the intensity of the fire Sampson was unable to relocate Brooks, and
exited the residence in the most timely fashion possible, jumping through
a glass door in the back of the house.
“(Sampson) literally ran through the storm glass door,” Foley Fire Chief Jamie Hinton said. Brooks was unable to exit the house and was found in a bathroom in the
rear corner the house just 13 feet from the door that Sampson burst through. Her death was determined to be the result of smoke inhalation. Hinton said fire officials initiated rescue efforts upon arriving on scene, but the fire was too advanced.
Sampson, who suffered smoke inhalation and a number of cuts and bruises,
was taken to South Baldwin Regional Medical Center, and has been put on a
ventilator. He has since been transferred to another facility, according to
SBRMC marketing director Janice Weaver, though that could not be
confirmed by press time.
The house, described by Hinton as similar to a shotgun house, suffered
significant damage inside, though the outer structure remained standing.
According to Kiel, the home had just one working smoke detector, located in
a bedroom in the front portion of the house — the fire began in the rear portion.
Hinton recommends having one smoke detector inside and outside each
bedroom and to test them every 90 days. The fire department offers smoke
detectors and batteries free of charge and will even come out to assist
elderly residents.
