Man dies of injuries received in fire

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Wallace Boone stands near a fence surrounding the front lawn of his neighbor, Fredie Shepherd, who died Friday in a fire that consumed his mobile home at 507 W. 27th St. Boone and several others pulled a badly burned Shepherd out of the fire and onto his lawn Friday in an attempt to save him. Angie Thompson/The Tifton Gazette

February 4, 2013

Man dies of injuries received in fire

Angie Thompson CNHI The Tifton Gazette Mon Feb 04, 2013, 09:27 PM EST

TIFTON — A 63-year-old Tifton man whose neighbors tried to pull him to safety when his mobile home caught on fire Friday died of his injuries.

Fredie Shepherd was apparently alone in his home at 507 W. 27th St. when the fire started. According to Wallace Boone, a young man in the neighborhood told him Shepherd’s home was on fire. Boone said he suspected Shepherd was in the home because he rarely left it. The fire started just before noon on Friday, according to reports.

“He was at the back door already when we got there,” Boone said. “We got him to the patio and out.”

Boone said he and three others tried to help Shepherd and did manage to pull the badly burned man away from the mobile home. He was lying on grass when EMS arrived.

Garland Ingram, who lives across the street from Shepherd’s residence, said that he came out the back door of his residence when he heard there was a fire.

“I saw the men pull Shepherd out of the house,” Ingram said. “He was alive at the time. The men busted out the windows and fire shot out.”

Ingram said he then went back to his home to turn off his gas and call 911.

“It was a sad day,” Ingram said. “I haven’t slept a night since.”

Ingram said Shepherd was disabled, but he could walk to some degree.

Capt. Kevin Smith told The Tifton Gazette Friday that the fire appeared to have started in the kitchen. The fire was knocked down quickly, he said.

Tift County Coroner Josh Hendrix said Monday that Shepherd was pronounced dead at Tift Regional Medical Center.

Yellow tape surrounding the badly burned mobile home was still in place Monday afternoon. Officials here said Friday that the State Fire Marshal’s office had been called in to investigate the fire. A call to the State Fire Marshall’s office was not returned Monday.

To contact reporter Angie Thompson, call 382-4321.

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