Fire claims life of man in Baldwin Co.

May 4—A 45-year-old Baldwin County man was killed in a house fire late Wednesday night, local authorities say.

The cause of the blaze that completely destroyed a two-story wood frame home at 1125 Sparta Highway had not been determined as of Thursday afternoon.

The house was located near the Baldwin-Hancock county line.

The fire claimed the life of William Mitchem, according to Baldwin County Fire Rescue Chief Victor Young. Two pet dogs also are believed to have perished in the fire.

The victim's body was discovered by a search team of firefighters near the front entrance of the house, Young said.

An estimated 20 firefighters from across the county battled intense heat and flames for about an hour and a half before they brought it under control.

Young said when firefighters arrived on the scene, the dwelling was engulfed by raging flames that stretched up into nearby trees and spread into the yard. The flames quickly set fire to a parked car and pickup truck, a riding lawnmower and a John Deere Gator.

The fire chief said 911 was called shortly before 10:30 p.m. Wednesday concerning the fire and that the callers had heard explosions of some sort.

"The victim in the fire is the same man who was a hero and saved the life of his little girl at Easter a year ago after she fell into a well," Young said. "I called it The Easter Miracle. He was trying to save his dogs this time and just didn't make it."

Baldwin County Fire Rescue Capt. Bradley Towe, who investigates the causes of fires in the county, told reporters at the scene Thursday afternoon that he had not yet determined the cause of the fire or where it might have originated.

Towe was awaiting a specially-trained K-9 team with the Georgia Insurance Commissioner's Office to sift through the debris.

He said he anticipated knowing the cause within a day or so.

Mitchem's wife, Roseann, and the couple's oldest daughter, Aaliyah, said Mitchem did construction work and was employed by Derek Simmons, his best friend. Simmons owns D&S Construction Co. in Sparta.

Daphne Fowler, William Mitchem's sister, who lives near scene of the fire, discovered the fire along with a neighbor across the road, according to Aaliyah.

"When she stepped out on the porch to empty her cats' literbox she saw an orange glow in the sky, but thought it was farther away than it was," Aaliyah recalled. "She kept hearing explosions when she was out on the porch."

Shortly after, Aailyah said her aunt reached William Mitchem on his cellphone.

"When she reached my daddy, he finally answered and said there was a lot of things happening in the house and that the house was on fire," Aaliyah said. "And she said that she told him she was putting on her shoes and would be down there right away."

Fowler reportedly was so upset that she couldn't remember how the phone call ended, according to her niece.

"She couldn't remember if she hung up or the call just got disconnected because of the fire," Aaliyah said. "After she put on her shoes, she was down here in just one to two minutes."

Roseann said she and her husband were separated and that she and the Mitchem's youngest child, Lakelynn, now 5, were living with her mother.

"We were both doing a great job of co-parenting," Roseann said.

William Mitchem had no life insurance. A GoFundMe page has been established to help with funeral costs.