LENOIR, NC (January 15, 2020) — Sunday, January 12, 2020, firefighters from Little River Fire Department, with mutual aid from Hudson, Sawmills, Grace Chapel, and Kings Creek Fire Departments, responded to a structure fire at 5341 Sheriff’s Rd. in the Little River Community of Caldwell County.
Responders were dispatched at 07:37 with the first arriving units on the scene at 07:46. Multiple calls were received by Caldwell County 9-1-1 Communications concerning the fire. Firefighters arrived to find a single-family dwelling partially involved in fire, and quickly placed the fire under control by 08:15.
Investigators from the Caldwell County Fire Marshal’s Office have determined the cause of the fire to be suspicious in nature. The home, vacant at the time of the fire, is owned by Teresa White, and had no tenants inhabiting same. The property did not have working smoke alarms at the time of the fire and the residence was not monitored by an alarm company. There was significant damage by fire to portions of the home, and smoke damage throughout. The home was deemed uninhabitable and a complete loss. There were no civilian injuries as a result of this fire, though one firefighter was transported to the hospital after an injury sustained while operating on scene. The firefighter has since been released and is expected to make a full recovery after suffering an injury to the lower leg.
This is considered an active investigation, and is being completed by the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and Caldwell County Fire Marshal’s Office. No further information is available at this time.
Anyone with any information concerning this fire is asked to call the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office at 828-758-2324