Family devastated after husband killed in fire

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Police and fire investigators are working to determine the cause of a fire that killed a 55-year-old man.

Close friends said the loss of Sherman Silvers as a father and husband is devastating to his family.

It was a fast moving fire that ravaged this mobile home and jolted neighbors from their sleep Sunday on Sherrill Drive in Stanley. The fire happened around 6 a.m.

"Just smoke coming from everywhere and all the fire and fire trucks and ambulances and just smoke coming out the windows and the doors,” said family friend Melissa Luther.

Luther realized it was the home of her friend Silvers. She said his wife would normally be there, but was out of town.

"I called his wife she told me to go check see what was going on,” Luther said.

Then she learned the devastating news.

“I just wanted to know how Pops was. They went back in they said, ‘No,’” Luther said, shaking her head. “That was it.”

Fire officials and Gaston County police are still investigating, but Gaston County's fire marshal said the fire may have been caused by a space heater too close to clothing or bedding.

Luther said Silver's three children and wife are deeply saddened and remembering the man who cared for them all.

"He loved his wife, he loved his grandson, he loved his kids, he loved them to death," Luther said.

Luther said Slivers would be missed and called him a man who was good to his family.

Fire investigators said they couldn't find a somke detector after searching the house.

WSOC