N.C. Firefighters Get Surprise Looking For Man in Fire

Feb. 15--THOMASVILLE -- Firefighters with the Fair Grove Volunteer Fire Department received a scare Thursday night as they searched for more than an hour for a person inside of a home that was destroyed by a fire on Sullivan Road.

Firefighters were dispatched to the fire at 2160 Sullivan Road at 8:07 p.m.

Jason Myers, Fair Grove fire chief, said firefighters responded to find flames showing from all sides of the house. The chief said the house was a total loss.

With firefighters trying to locate someone inside the residence for more than an hour, a man who lived at the residence emerged from another house behind his home at about 9:45 p.m., said Michael Pittman, a captain with the FGVFD.

Upon arrival, firefighters were told that a man was in the home, Pittman said.

"We were looking for him for quite a while," he said. "We had a problem getting in because the floor had deteriorated to the point we couldn't walk on it, so we had to crawl on the floor joists to get in there and try to look for him."

The fire was under control in about 30 to 35 minutes upon the arrival of firefighters.

Pittman acknowledged there was a sense of ease for firefighters once they learned no one was inside of the home.

The cause of the fire was unknown late Thursday night as Davidson County Fire Marshal Brad Needham was on the scene conducting his investigation.

Pittman said the man told fire investigators he had not been home for about an hour prior to the start of the fire. Firefighters about 10:15 p.m. were putting out hot spots so Needham could enter what was remaining of the house to investigate.

Pittman said the man told him there was a kerosene heater in a hallway in the house next to a bathroom.

"Whether that is the cause or not, I don't know," the captain said.

After the man emerged, Paramedics and other onlookers received another scare about 10 p.m.

Firefighters pulled down a chimney so it wouldn't fall on anyone. A loud boom could be heard as it was pulled down. However, no firefighters were injured in the move.

Juan Alcazar was visiting relatives on Sullivan Road when he saw the house on fire. He said he knows the man at the residence and he and family members identified the man as Kent Skipper. Alcazar said the man is in his 50s or 60s.

The Pilot and Holly Grove volunteer fire departments assisted Fair Grove firefighters on the scene.

Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or [email protected].

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