Firefighter Dies a Hero After Rushing Into Burning Warehouse to Save Trapped Colleague

Preston Fant, father of five and local hero, remembered as the heart of DeKalb Fire Rescue

A devastating tragedy has struck DeKalb County, Georgia, where a seasoned firefighter and beloved father of five lost his life in a harrowing act of bravery.

Master Firefighter Preston Fant, 49, died on September 8 after running into a burning warehouse to rescue a fellow firefighter. He never made it back out.

The deadly blaze erupted inside a commercial warehouse on South Stone Mountain Lithonia Road. Fant, a 21-year veteran of the DeKalb County Fire Rescue Department, rushed into the inferno after learning a colleague was still inside.

Officials say he became trapped during the rescue attempt.

Despite frantic efforts, Fant was pulled from the flames too late. He was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. He is the first DeKalb firefighter in history to die in the line of duty.

Fant’s colleagues, friends, and neighbors are reeling.

“This is the worst kind of loss,” said Fire Chief Darnell Fullum. “Preston Fant wasn’t just a firefighter — he was the gold standard. Courageous. Humble. Always the first to step up.”

Fant was known across the department not just for his bravery but for his elite training. He specialized in high-rise rescues, swift water recovery, and trench extractions. Stationed at Fire Station 24 in Stone Mountain, Fant was often the first name called for complex emergencies.

“He was the one you wanted beside you in a fire,” one colleague said.

When he wasn’t saving lives, Fant was at home with his wife Leigh and their five children.

“Off duty, he was a quiet man,” said Percy Dixon, a longtime friend and organizer of a GoFundMe campaign that has already raised over $42,000 for Fant’s family. “He loved his kids fiercely. He lived for his wife. He had a calm spirit and a servant’s heart.”

Dixon added, “He died the way he lived — putting others first.”

Flags across DeKalb County have been lowered to half-staff. Emergency counselors have been brought in to help grieving fire personnel, many of whom are struggling to process the loss of a man they saw as invincible.

“His legacy extends far beyond the uniform,” said County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson. “We are heartbroken. And we stand with his family in this unimaginable time of grief.”

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Arson has not been ruled out, but officials say it’s too early to determine what sparked the deadly blaze.

What is certain: Fant gave his life trying to save another.

Supporters can donate to the official GoFundMe page to assist the Fant family with funeral costs and long-term support for the children he leaves behind. Fire officials say more memorial details will be released in the coming days.

“We lost a hero,” said Firefighter Lt. Kareem Davis. “But we gained a legacy.”