Fire destroys Rowan Co. home Friday morning

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — Firefighters said a fire in Rowan County was so intense that in the end they had to let it destroy the home.

The fire occurred on Lippard Road near Faith Community at 10:30 a.m. on Friday.

Eyewitness News talked to the homeowner who left just 30 minutes before the flames broke out.

Fire officials said the fire started in the garage. The point of origin was a dryer.

Officials said it spread quickly through the roof to the rest of the house.

"(It's a) kind of disbelief. Half of me knows it's gone but the other half doesn't want to believe it," said Caleb Wilson.

Wilson was at work in Huntersville when he got a call about the blaze. He was concerned that his father had not made it out.

"I tried to call my dad because he is off on Friday and I couldn't get him on the phone and tried and tried and tried and I thought he might have been in the house or might have gone back in to try and salvage something," said Wilson.

It turns out his father left the house about 20 minutes before the blaze began.

The couple passed by when the flames were just starting to burn. They had to come back hours later to see the extent if the damage.

"This end was blazing up through the roof when we went by. The fire truck was here and they were stretching out the house when we came by," said Wilson.

Officials said 40 firefighters from nine different agencies worked to douse the fire. The father and son have lived in the home for eight years.

The house was actually on the market before flames devoured it.

"It makes you humble in a way. Makes you appreciate what you have and what you do not have. They can rebuild the house, give me new clothes, but they could not give me a new dad," said Wilson.

The house is a total loss but the homeowner said what is most important was saved.

WSOC