Charlotte fire: Netizens pay tribute to Demonte Sherrill as the construction worker dies in Southpark fire

A fire near SouthPark Mall on Thursday, May 18, claimed the life of Demonte Sherrill, a construction worker. Sherrill was 30 years old at the time of his death, and the incident happened at an under-construction apartment building. His family members revealed that he had four children. While speaking to WSOC, Demonte's mother, Onita, stated:

"I'm still in shock. Numb really. Numb about the whole situation."

Demonte Sherrill was one of two construction workers who died in the fire. While the other construction worker's name was not revealed, the fire department has yet to disclose the identities of those who lost their lives. A tweet by the Charlotte fire department stated that searching for the list of dead people will take some time. It also added:

"We can not confirm a loss of life. This fire has been difficult for our community, and our firefighters continue to diligently work on scene to find answers."

A crane operator also tried to help two people spotted near the windows of the fourth floor, but they were soon covered by the smoke and no one could see them anymore.

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Family members express their grief over Demonte Sherrill's death

The fire incident near the SouthPark Mall has been in the headlines due to the deaths of Demonte Sherrill and another worker. Social media platforms were flooded with tributes as people heard about their deaths.

Netizens paid tribute on social media (Image via Traci Fant/Facebook)

Netizens paid tribute on social media (Image via Traci Fant/Facebook)

Netizens paid tribute on social media (Image via Traci Fant/Facebook)

Netizens paid tribute on social media (Image via Traci Fant/Facebook)

Netizens paid tribute on social media (Image via Traci Fant/Facebook)

Following Demonte Sherrill's death, his family members paid tribute to him and spoke about how they were feeling when they heard about his death.

In an interview with Channel 9, Demonte's father, Terry Campbell, said he went to the spot when he learned about the fire from Onita. Terry mentioned that once he reached the place, the entire area was covered with smoke, and he was informed by his Demonte's boss that he lost his life in the incident.

According to Onita, Demonte Sherrill was on Facebook Live, where he was searching for help and expecting to find a safe space. She added:

"I was hoping but just from the (Facebook Live), and the way the room filled up with smoke, I didn't see it being any hope at that time."

Onita and Terry described Demonte Sherrill as a man who used to work hard to help his family and children. Terry stated that Demonte was doing fine in his job and that he was proud of him. Onita, on the other hand, called her son a good man, a loving father, and a caring person, and he loved to be with his kids.

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The fire emerged from a foam insulation machine

WSOC reported that the fire at the under-construction building emerged in a parking garage while crew members were installing a foam insulation machine. The machine reportedly caught fire, and it eventually spread to the other floors on top.

One of the construction workers was also trapped in a crane but was rescued later. The firefighters had to climb up around 100 feet to save the operator, who was trying to climb down. 90 firefighters worked to rescue 15 workers who were caught in the fire, and a crane operator was also injured, following which he had to be hospitalized.

A call was made to 911 at around 9 am, and the second alarm was declared at 9:10 am. This was followed by the third alarm at 9:20 am, the fourth at 9:30 am, and the fifth at 9:56 am.

While speaking at a news conference, the Charlotte Fire Department stated that the fire moved rapidly since the construction site had a lot of wood. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department advised everyone not to drive through Liberty Drive, Assembly Street, Barclay Downs Drive, and Park South Drive so that the authorities could work on putting out the fire.