(UPI) -- A Georgia man may want to reconsider his priorities after running back into a house fire to rescue a few beers that had been left behind.

Six adults, including Walter Serpit, and two children were in the living room of their Columbus, Ga., home on Thursday afternoon when smoke began pouring in. All eight people made it outside safely, but Serpit, with the aid of his cane, went back for what really mattered -- his beer.

"I told them to get the kids out and everything, and me myself, being an alcoholic, I was trying to get my beer out," Serpit said. "You feel me?"


He was able to save several cans of beer and avoid getting burned. "I went back into the house like a dummy and the door shut on me because this back draft was about to kill me,” Serpit said.

Officials are still looking into what caused the fire but a newly-installed water heater might be to blame.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames and the Red Cross is working to help get the family back on their feet.