Fire ruled suspicious at Catawba County home built in 1916, investigators say

CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — A fire in Catawba County that destroyed a 100-year-old home has been deemed suspicious by investigators.

Channel 9′s Dave Faherty was with investigators as they returned to the house along Highway 16 north of Conover on Wednesday.

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Catawba County’s deputy fire marshal said they’re calling the fire that destroyed the home built in 1916 suspicious.

Investigators said portions of the home remained too dangerous for officials to venture inside. Instead, a drone was flown in and out of windows and doors to take pictures and videos.

“We had a lot of collapses of the structure last night,” said Jennifer Lowrance, deputy fire marshal. “The roof fell in which presented a lot of danger to firefighters. The drones give us an opportunity to safely go inside and see around each and every room in the house and see fire patterns.”

More than a half-dozen fire departments responded to the blaze. The fire closed part of Highway 16 for hours on Tuesday night.

Smoke from the home could be seen as far as 10 miles away on Interstate 40.

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A Channel 9 viewer shot video of the flames moments before firefighters got to the home along Highway 16 north of Conover.

Reporter Dave Faherty arrived on the scene after the highway was shut down.

On Wednesday morning, investigators and sheriff’s deputies walked the property. The collapsed roof of the home was visible from the road.

Investigators said no power was running to the home when the fire began.

Faherty spoke with one woman who spent time at the home as a child.

“It’s heartbreaking because it’s a family home,” Lisa Obert said. “Grandpa’s family home, and it’s gone now.”

The blaze created an additional challenge as firefighters had to ferry water to the scene, because there wasn’t a hydrant along the stretch of Highway 16, officials said.

Fire investigators said they are working closely with sheriff’s deputies to pinpoint the cause of the fire that destroyed the home.

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