Gas grill caused fatal house fire in Burke County, officials say

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — Officials said a gas grill caused a house fire that killed one person Wednesday in Burke County.

Several firefighters responded to the blaze at about 5 p.m. on Rogers Road, which is south of Hildebran.

After putting out the flames, firefighters found the body, believed to be the homeowner.

Investigators said the grill was located on the back deck of the home. They said the extensive damage to may make it difficult to determine what caused the grill to catch fire.

Family members and friends visited the home the next day and they were in disbelief.

"I didn't know it was bad, this bad,” family member Gail Blackburn said. “I was really shocked, and I'm just hoping that he had passed out, or something, before the fire."

Neighbors said they take precautions anytime they're around gas grills.

There is an average of 9,000 fires each year from grills, and 80 percent of those involve gas grills nationwide.

"I'm always around it when it's on and try to be as safe as I can with it," neighbor Tim Childres said.

Officials have not released the name of the man who died.

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