GA Couple, Cat Saved From New Year's Day Fire By City Official

HIRAM, GA — A Hiram couple and their pet cat are safe after a local city councilwoman alerted them of a fire at their Greystone Drive home minutes into the new year.

Hiram city officials on Monday said a GoFundMe was organized to assist the couple who "lost nearly everything." The fundraiser had a goal of $1,400 and had raised more than $1,200 as of Tuesday afternoon.

Paulding County Fire Rescue said the blaze sparked shortly after midnight on New Year's Day; it was the department's second call of the year.

Crews found heavy flames tearing through the roof as neighboring homes sat exposed to fire, officials said. They added they were able to largely contain the flames, though some nearby homes sustained side damage.

City officials said Councilmember Melissa Bayardelle was able to alert the couple to the fire and assisted in getting everyone out safely.

"We are incredibly grateful for her quick action and honored to have her serving our community," city officials said in a statement.

Bayardelle was heading to a gas station when she noticed the fire, she told WANF-TV.

When she knocked and banged on the door, no one responded, she said in the report. So Bayardelle decided to try the knob, which she discovered was unlocked.

Bayardelle reportedly ran inside and yelled until a man who appeared to have just woken up came downstairs. That is when she told him his house was on fire, WANF-TV reported.

“This is a community, and we help each other,” Bayardelle said in the report. ”Nothing is more important than another person’s life, and if I can make a difference, I will.”

Fire officials said no one was injured in the blaze, and the couple received aid from the department's victim assistance program.

The couple's GoFundMe identified them as Dalasia Mitchell and Isaiah Richerson. Their cat's name is King.

"In a matter of moments, everything we worked so hard for was either lost or damaged. We are incredibly grateful that we all made it out safely, but the shock and uncertainty of starting a new year this way has been overwhelming. King, our cat, thankfully survived the fire as well, but like us, he’s now adjusting to a new and unfamiliar environment," Mitchell wrote in the GoFundMe.

She added funding is needed to help with temporary housing, replacing essential clothing and personal items, food, daily necessities, transportation and necessities for King.

City officials noted work clothing and shoes are also requested, including the following:

Men’s Needs (works outdoors):
• Pants: 40x30
• Shirts: 2XL
• Shoes: Size 13

Women’s Needs (works in an office):
• Clothing: Size 14–16
• Shoes: Size 9

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.