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| Updated: 11/20/2012 10:00 pm |
Published: 11/20/2012 5:59 pm |
CONWAY, AR – An elderly woman died from injuries received from a house fire in Conway on Tuesday.
89-year-old Dorthy Thompson was flown to a hospital in Little Rock after being rescued from the fire by her 20-year-old great-grandson, Zach Mullican, who lived at the home. The Conway Fire Department say Mullican was awakened by smoke alarms, walked through thick smoke to find Thompson, and carried her outside.
Thompson died several hours after arriving in Little Rock. Mullican was treated at a local hospital for smoke inhalation and released. Family members say even though they are mourning one loss, they are happy it isn’t two.
“I’m very proud of him,” says Kelli Hughes, Mullican’s mother. “It’s traumatized him, but the fire alarms, they saved him. He was asleep, they saved him.”
Hughes added that just last month the family had added extra alarms to the house. "I would have lost him and her, and I don't know, I'm just so proud of him."
Zach’s brother Cole also offered praise for Zach’s actions. “He’s a hero, I mean, he stepped up."
Four people lived in the home prior to the fire. They are now staying with family.
