Catawba County man runs into burning house to save his 1967 Chevelle

CATAWBA, N.C. — When his home went up in flames, a Catawba County man risked his life to save his 1967 Chevelle.

Channel 9′s Dave Faherty spoke to family members who said they they would have done the same thing.

By Friday afternoon, Faherty could still see where fire tore through the roof of the home along Fifth Street Southwest in the town of Catawba. The man was not there when the fire started, but when he arrived, firefighters said he ran into the basement where he had parked a 1967 red Chevrolet Chevelle.

Witnesses say he quickly drove the car out of the home and into the yard, but firefighters say he had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Faherty asked family members and neighbors about what he did and whether or not they, too, would have gone into the home after that car.

“I don’t know if I would have gone in our not,” neighbor Charlie Brice said. “I don’t think I would have. But I guess he really didn’t want that car to get destroyed.”

“He put a lot of money in that Chevelle and that’s his baby,” said the man’s sister, Sharrie Carter. “So yes I would have gone back and got it. Pull it on out -- we’re still living and it’s still going and we’re all good.”

Faherty found out earlier that five fire departments from the eastern end of the county fought the fire.

Firefighters say that man did have insurance.

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