A father-of-four pleaded for help on Facebook Live before he died in a construction site fire in North Carolina — as his horrified mom watched her son’s final moments online.
Demonte Sherrill, 30, was one of two people killed Thursday in the massive blaze that destroyed an apartment building in the upscale neighborhood of South Park in Charlotte.
His mother, Onita Sherrill, told WSOC that she watched her son’s life end in the tragic Facebook Live post.
“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 said.
“I’m still in shock. Numb really. Numb about the whole situation,” the devastated mom added.
“He was a good man, a loving father. (A) caring person and he just wanted to be with his children, his family.”
Demonte had four kids aged 5 to 13.
The father was killed along with fellow construction worker Rueben Holmes, both of whom were on the sixth floor of the partially built structure near the SouthPark Mall, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson told reporters Friday that firefighters had to call a “mayday” when they became trapped themselves on the same floor due to limited visibility during the five-alarm conflagration.
Demonte’s dad, Terry Campbell, told WSOC that he rushed to the scene after Onita informed him about the fire.
“Went to the scene and all the smoke … I mean, I couldn’t watch — I couldn’t watch it,” he said. “Then I got in contact with his boss man and that’s when his boss let me know it was him.”
More than 90 firefighters responded to the blaze, which Johnson said was sparked accidentally in a spray insulation foam trailer on the ground floor, WSOC reported.
The victims’ employer, Keith Suggs of Atlanta-based Prestige Windows and Doors, said Demonte was only on his third day on the job when he perished.
He also said Holmes, 38, of Huntsville, Alabama, called him for the last time at 9 a.m. Thursday from the burning building.
“He told me he was on the sixth floor, the building was on fire, and he couldn’t get out,” Suggs told The Charlotte Observer.
Alexa Escobar, another construction worker, told WSOC that a crane operator tried to swing a basket over to two people during the fire. It was unclear if they were Demonte and Holmes.
“Our crane operator let us know he could see two people on the balcony on the fourth floor, as well. We got the crane over there on the basket and tried to get them into the basket so we could get them down but that is when the smoke started to get blacked out and we had no view of them,” Escobar said.
Fifteen workers were rescued from the building, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said.
“I want Mr. Sherrill’s family to know that we grieve with you – especially Mr. Sherrill’s children,” Lyles said before the identity of the other victim was known.
“To the loved ones of the second individual, please know that our community, or city, stands with you,” he added.