ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Two Glynn County women are alive today thanks to the heroic actions of one man who fearlessly entered a blazing home on St. Simons Island over the weekend.
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The incident took place in the Pelican Place neighborhood, where neighbors are now hailing Bennett Burch as a true hero.
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“I mean, that was just a selfless act and bravery you don’t see every day,” neighbor Carra Zambetti said.
Carra Zambetti and Preston Delaney live at Pelican Place. They watched the whole scene unfold and said it was terrifying to watch.
“I’ll never forget how fast that house went up and the heat how far away from the from the house so you can feel the heat,” Delaney said.
“I mean, I got to barely the driveway, just screaming Gale and dawn to make sure they were out and you could feel the heat. I have no idea how he was in there,” Zambetti said. “It was It was intense.”
Gayle Staley, who lost her home in the fire, expressed her gratitude for being alive despite the devastation.
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“I’m very blessed. So the people are safe. The kitties are safe. My Water critters are safe, so we can replace all the material,” Staley said.
The events unfolded on Saturday afternoon when Gayle Staley heard a man frantically shouting about a fire engulfing her home.
Bennett Burch, who happened to be in the area to pick up some friends heading to the beach, spotted the flames on the porch. Reacting swiftly, Burch rushed into action, alerting Staley and helping her to safety.
“He came running up the stairs and couldn’t get out, get out your house is on fire. So I immediately ran down the stairs. He grabbed my hand and brought us out into the front yard,” Staley recounted.
Burch’s adrenaline kicked in, and he acted without hesitation, knowing they had only seconds to escape.
“I don’t know, the adrenaline kind of hit. I didn’t really think about it,” Burch stated. “As we were coming down the stairs, and the flames were going up.”
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The Glynn County Fire Department later determined that the fire was caused by an electrical issue.
Staley revealed that she had a surge protector with two items plugged into it, an automatic kitty litter cleaner, and an electric kitty water fountain.
For Staley, the loss of her home and possessions pales in comparison to the tragedy she had already experienced in her life.
Nearly 25 years ago, she lost her son in a fire, which has given her a profound perspective on material possessions. “Once you’ve lost a child, material things do not matter. So we’re fine. Thank you. We’re fine,” Staley bravely shared.
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Despite the destruction caused by the fire, the compassion and bravery demonstrated by Burch and the resilience shown by Gayle Staley have left a lasting impact on those in the neighborhood.
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