Trending Topics

Unattended candles lead to fatal N.C. apartment fire

Authorities said the Charlotte apartment had smoke detectors but the batteries had been removed

By WSOC
The Charlotte Observer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two people were killed in a fire early Wednesday at an apartment complex in east Charlotte, according to the Charlotte Fire Department.

Burning candles were left unattended, which caused a fire in an apartment on Spanish Quarter Circle, fire department officials said.

Firefighters were called to the blaze around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. The fire was quickly extinguished, but firefighters found the two victims inside the home. They were originally taken to a nearby hospital before they died from their injuries.

Three cats were also killed in the fire, according to CFD.

The apartment unit had a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector, but neither worked due to batteries being removed, authorities said.

According to the fire department, no other apartments were damaged in the fire.

The victims haven’t been identified yet.

CFD Reginald Johnson wrote on Twitter that the department expresses “our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victims.”

©2024 The Charlotte Observer.
Visit charlotteobserver.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Trending
Buffalo Grove’s new Fire Station 25 features cancer-reduction measures, sleep-focused bunk rooms, expanded apparatus bays and a larger fitness area
Gavin Newsom cited concerns that the move would not be financially sound; AB 1383 would have lowered retirement ages by 2 years and raised maximum accrual rates by 0.3%
Long View fired Chief James Brinkley after accusing him of undermining the interim town manager and entering a burning home without protective gear while on administrative leave
Fly Precision identified Greg King and Ryan Cutter as the two crew members killed when their helicopter crashed during water-drop operations on the Dome Fire