Cause of fatal house fire still under investigation

Apr. 24—The cause of a fatal house fire late Saturday afternoon in Baldwin County remains under investigation by the local fire officials.

A man living in the brick house on Vinson Highway was injured along with two county firefighters who fought the intense flames, heat and thick black smoke.

The victim who died in the fire was identified as 63-year-old Pamela Dianne Newsome, according to Baldwin County Fire Rescue Capt. Bradley Towe.

Firefighters discovered her body laying in a bed in a back bedroom of the dwelling.

An autopsy was performed Tuesday at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Laboratory near Macon to determine the exact cause and manner of her death, according to Baldwin County Chief Deputy Coroner Ken Garland.

Harold Carter Newsome, 66, one of the men also living in the house, was critically injured in the blaze, which was fought by firefighters with Baldwin County Fire Rescue and Milledgeville Fire Rescue Services for about 90 minutes, said Towe.

Newsome was taken to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta for treatment of thermal burns to his lungs and smoke inhalation.

Towe said he was discharged from the hospital Monday night.

The two county firefighters injured battling the fire are healing but are back on-duty, Towe said.

Firefighter Roger Reid, who works full-time, received second-degree burns to both of his arms. He had skin graphs performed at the burn center in Augusta.

Reid, who has worked as a county firefighter for about three years, is assigned to light duties as he recovers from his injuries, Towe said.

The other firefighter, Tony Price, works part-time. Towe said he was treated for heat exhaustion.