Fatal fire still under investigation
Published 12:01 am Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Contributed Photo/Amos Halava
Firefighters battle a fire at Roan Mountain Lawn and Garden early Sunday morning. A man who lived in an apartment above the business died in the fire.
The cause of a fatal fire in Roan Mountain early Sunday morning is still under investigation.
The fire at Roan Mountain Lawn and Garden, 8030 Highway 19E, claimed the life of Jerry Hopson, 79, who lived in the apartment over the business.
Firefighters from several area fire departments responded to the scene at around 4:30 a.m. Sunday. Flames were visible in the left rear corner of the building, and in the upstairs of the building along the roof, but were not visible from the outside at the time, Lt. Kenny Cornett of the Carter County Sheriff’s Department wrote in his report on the incident.
Around an hour later, the building was overtaken by flames and became fully engulfed, he said.
The original 911 call came from the business phone number. According to 911 personnel, the caller sounded like an elderly man who advised he was a tenant and would be leaving the building, Cornett said.
Cornett, nor any other emergency personnel, were able to locate Hopson at the scene.
Roan Mountain Lawn and Garden owner Mark Houston identified Hopson with a driver’s license picture. B oth vehicles parked at the business were identified as belonging to Hopson.
Houston told officers Hopson had limited mobility and was not “agile or steady” on his feet, Cornett said.
Deputies checked the scene while firefighters battled the blaze, but were unable to find anyone who had seen Hopson since the fire started.
Officials later found Hopson’s body about 10 feet inside the building. The cause of death at this point is unknown. Officers of the Carter County Sheriff’s Department and the State Fire Marshal’s Office are working together on the investigation of the fire.
The preliminary investigation revealed a hot spot and investigators don’t suspect foul play in the fire.
Firefighters from Roan Mountain, Hampton, Stoney Creek, Watauga, Central, Elk Mills and West Carter Volunteer Fire Departments, along with Newland, Elk Park, Banner Elk, Crossnore, Frank and Avery County in North Carolina responded to the fire.
Multiple messages for CCSD Public Information Officer Sgt. Mike Carlock were not returned for a further update on the investigation.
