A mother and daughter lost their lives Saturday morning when the car they were driving burst into flames following a collision with another car on Hwy. 515 at Antioch Church Road near Talking Rock.
According to Coroner Kevin Roper, the mother, Joan Kirby, 57, and her 26-year-old daughter, Kelly Kirby, were killed as a result of the accident. The family lived off Fisher Creek Road in Talking Rock.
An eyewitness to the devastating wreck, Angie Jordan, called 911 but, along with others at the scene, was helpless to aid the two victims of the crash.
“It’s just senseless, and I feel for their family,” said Jordan, who called 911 for help twice Saturday morning. “I called 911 when I first saw the accident and I got out, and there was already another person at the vehicle. I walked across the road and saw one person in the car, and they were unconscious and trapped.”
Jordan said when she came upon the accident the vehicle was in the air, and it flipped once or twice before landing on the road bank. She said because of the way the car was turned, she could only see one person inside.
“Everyone there at the scene was trying to find fire extinguishers, and a cop arrived, and he didn’t have a fire extinguisher in his car, which I found odd. He at no point tried to put out the fire, not even with dirt or by covering it with something. All he was concerned about was asking us how the accident happened. There was no time I even saw him go over there and acknowledge the person in the vehicle.”
Jordan said she first called 911 at 11:39 a.m., then again at 11:41, frantic for help. Jordan said she plans to file a complaint against the fire department for not coming to aid fast enough.
“I was frantic and screaming – all we could see was this (person) in the car, and they needed help,” she said. “It took the fire department over 10 minutes to get there, and by that time it was too late.”
Pickens Fire Chief Bob Howard defended the department’s response time, saying his trucks arrived on the scene just six minutes after receiving the dispatch call from the 911 center.
“The fire department got the call at 11:41, and we were on the scene with a fire truck and rescue at 11:47,” Chief Howard said. “Upon arrival the automobile was fully involved, and we extinguished the flames.”
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