The family of a construction worker in Charlotte, North Carolina, say that their loved one pleaded for help on Facebook Live moments before he died from a fire at his construction site last week.
The worker is one of two whose bodies were recovered by local authorities last Friday after first responders failed to reach them in the blaze. Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson shared during a press conference that his firefighters tried to reach the workers but were unable to get to them due to limited visibility.
Johnson said that crews attempted to follow their sound to locate them but were inevitably unsuccessful.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles spoke during a press conference, identifying one of the workers as Demote Sherrill.
“His family said he was a hard worker, a loving father, and a family man. I want Mr. Sherrill’s family to know that we grieve with you – especially Mr. Sherrill’s children,” Lyles said.
The second worker was not identified, though Lyles said their community stands with their loved ones.
According to WSOC, Sherrill decided to go on Facebook Live while the father of four yelled for help with his family watching, unable to assist him.
“I was hoping, but just from the [Facebook Live], and the way the room filled up with smoke, I didn’t see it being any hope at that time,” Sherrill’s mother, Onita Sherrill, told the station.
Johnson shared that the fire started in a spray insulation foam trailer on the ground floor.
“This fire has been difficult for our community, and our firefighters continue to diligently work on scene to find answers,” the Charlotte Fire Department tweeted.
More than 90 firefighters arrived at the scene to assist in the rescue of more than a dozen construction workers while the heat from the fire hit 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit and moved rapidly throughout the site, Johnson said.
An investigation into the fire determined the cause to be unintentional in nature, but investigators are continuing to look into it.
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