Local

2 brothers dead after massive house fire in York County, family says

FORT MILL, S.C. — Investigators are working to determine what caused a house fire that left two brothers dead in York County early Saturday morning.

The fire happened around 3 a.m. near Neighbor Lane in Fort Mill.

Officials said they received a 911 call about a house fully engulfed in flames with people possibly inside. Several fire departments including Fort Mill, Flint Hill, Riverview and Tega Cay responded to the scene.

Firefighters discovered two people were inside the home, but both died from their injuries.

Family members told Channel 9′s Genevieve Curtis that the victims, Lawrence Armstrong, 62, and Dennis Armstrong, 55, were asleep when the fire destroyed the house. Family said they were brothers who liked to cook and work on cars and be with their family.

The fire tore through the seven-bedroom home, that family said was a very special place for them.

Their nephew, Joe Armstrong, said his grandfather built the home in 1972 next to a mechanic shop. It was full of almost 50 years of family memories and the place where they always gathered to celebrate the holidays.

“It means everything to us. It’s what granddaddy left for everybody, the family house,” Joe said. “They were good dudes, overall. They were good human beings. I hate that they went like this at the same time.”

York County Sheriff arson investigators, SLED and the York County fire marshal are still working to determine what caused the fire. The family suspects it may have been the water heater.

No other information has been released at this point.

The family said they plan to rebuild.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.