Demetrius Johnson, 24, of Buffalo, New York tragically lost his life on Friday, Feb. 19, 2016 following an attempt to save his three-year-old son from a raging house fire at approximately 4 a.m. His fiancée, Tempest Thomas, escaped unharmed. Johnson rescued his daughter, Treasure Brighon, 8, who suffered severe burns to 90 percent of her body and is being treated at Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Cincinnati, Ohio. She’s listed in critical condition.
Thomas pleaded with Johnson not to go back inside. A witness identified as Johnson’s brother said his brother yelled, “I’m not going to let my son die,” before breaking a window, running back inside and placing his son in a closet in the living room before he collapsed from the smoke. His oldest son was rescued by firefighters.
Their two sons, Demetrius Johnson Jr., 3, and younger brother Demaris,15-month-old, were both listed in stable condition at Women and Children’s Hospital. Demetrius Jr. was being treated for smoke inhalation.
Initially, Thomas was provided money for gas to travel to Cincinnati because there was no room for her to travel with her daughter on the jet which was manned by a team of specialists.
Johnson and Thomas were engaged just last week on Valentine’s Day and had just moved into the downstairs portion of the home. They reportedly had electrical problems and the smoke detectors in the home never went off. Johnson reported the issue to the homeowner just hours before the blaze.
Thomas tells ABC 9, “It’s like I’m numb to the situation. I can’t stop breaking out crying. I lost my husband I was with seven, going on eight years. Words can’t express how I feel right now, when you lose your husband, you almost lost your kids.”
“It’s a horrible feeling. I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy, nobody,” Thomas added.
Another resident told a local television station the front door didn’t close properly, there was flooding in the basement and they had issues with the hot water.
There was one other fatality, a man reported his uncle, 49, died in the devastated fire at the duplex. He was of no relation to Johnson and Thomas.
