Authorities have confirmed a possible house explosion in North Carolina has left four dead, according to Fox News.
On Wednesday morning, the Lenoir Police Department received a 911 emergency call claiming that gunshots and an explosion could be heard coming from a house on fire, according to Fox 46. When firefighters arrived at the scene, they saw a large blaze coming from inside the house. Once it was extinguished, they entered the home and found four dead, “some fire damage on the main level,” as well as “minimal fire damage” in the attic and basement, Lenoir Fire Chief Kenneth Hair told Fox News.
#BREAKING City of Lenoir Fire Chief tells @FOX46News four people are dead after what appears to be a house explosion in #Lenoir Chief does not know cause of death. I’m on the way to Lenior, @TerranceFOX46 and I will bring you more details starting at 4 on @FOX46News
— Robin Kanady (@RobinFox46) June 30, 2021
While the Lenoir Fire Department, Police Department and North Carolina’s State Bureau of Investigations are still investigating the cause of the incident, investigators believe there was “some sort of explosion” “due to the damage” initially discovered by firefighters on scene, Hair said, according to Fox News.
Pastor of family of four killed in what appears to be explosion in #lenoir says family had attended his church for at least 30 years, pastor says the husband had taken wife for infusion treatments, came back and house exploded, killing man, his 2 daughters and his son @FOX46News pic.twitter.com/g6GVkvLxTG
— Robin Kanady (@RobinFox46) June 30, 2021
While the identities of the victims have not been released at this time, the four dead are a 58-year-old male, an 18-year-old and 15-year old female and 29-year-old man. Authorities confirmed to Fox 46 that the four seemed to have died from gunshot wounds. It is believed that these four individuals were members of the same family, with the elderly male as the father, and the other three victims his children. (RELATED: Family Of 3 Tragically Killed In House Fire)
“This does not appear to be a random act and no suspects are being sought at this time,” Lenoir Police Chief Brent Phelps said, according to Fox 46.
A pastor, who remained unnamed, said the family had attended his church for around 30 years, and told Fox 46 Charlotte the husband took his wife to get infusion treatments shortly before his death.