Editor’s note: This version of the article adds a comment from the resident who was injured contradicting the investigator’s version of events. 

MOULTRIE, Ga. — The Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office and the local fire marshal are investigating a mobile home fire in which a resident suffered inhalation burns.

The Thursday afternoon fire destroyed the residence in the 1900 block of Mitchell County Road, according to CCSO investigator Austin Cannon.

Samuel Dreggors, identified by Cannon as a man who was in the home at the time of the fire, was life-flighted from the scene to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. Dreggors was released Friday afternoon after being treated for inhalation burns, Cannon said.

Dreggors suffered the burns while running “in and out of the house” when he thought a 4-year-old was trapped inside.

“He had attempted to go in and out of the home trying to find a child he believed was still inside the house,” Cannon said in an interview Monday.

Cannon said that while Colquitt County Volunteer Fire Department was putting out the fire, the child was located in a field behind the house.

“The child was eventually located and was unharmed,” Cannon said.

In a phone call to The Observer Tuesday afternoon, after this story was initially posted on the newspaper’s website, Dreggors said Cannon’s description isn’t accurate. He said the boy was found in the yard behind his truck.

“I had him in my arms before anyone even arrived,” he said.

Cannon said that there was “initially nothing suspicious” about the origin of the fire, but the subsequent investigation raised some concerns. 

“Originally after the fire department’s and [my] inspection there was nothing too suspicious but factors going beyond the scene could have led to there being some doubt,” Cannon said.

He stated that he was unable to elaborate any further due to the nature of the investigation.

As of Tuesday, the fire marshal’s office has identified an origin point of the fire but not its cause. Samples have been sent to a lab to determine whether an accelerant was present.

“We’ll be able to move further when all that stuff comes back. Until then, we just have to sit and wait,” Cannon said.