3 dead in fire at Cumberland County home

SAINT PAULS, N.C. (WTVD) -- Three people died Monday in a Cumberland County fire in the Grays Creek area.

Crews were dispatched about 2:20 p.m. to a fire call at a modular home along the 2200 block of Unicorn Drive, authorities said.

The house was "60- to 70% involved" when firefighters arrived. The fire was under control shortly before 4 p.m. but the home was destroyed. An investigation into the cause is underway.

Firefighters said the victims were all adults -- two women and one man. Their identities were not immediately released. There were no other occupants in the home.

"We did have an LP tank at the rear of the structure; it didn't explode. Due to the heat conditions, the relief valve did pop off, so that increased the fire volume into the house to kind of, sped up the fire," said Grays Creek Station 18 Fire Chief Logan Herndon.

Herndon said the victims were pulled from the home while it was still burning. They appeared to be in the center of the home but it was unclear what particular room or rooms.

Numerous other fire crews assisted with the fire as emotional family members gathered outside.

"I let them know that if there's anything that the fire department can do for them, that we're available, and we'll do anything we can to comfort them at the time of their loss," Herndon said.

Grays Creek firefighters were first on the scene but others, including the Fayetteville, Stony Point and Cotton fire departments pitched in for the team effort.

"We don't have hydrants, fire hydrants in this area," Herndon said. "So we have to drive miles down the road to fill up fire trucks. That's one thing about fighting fire in a rural area in Cumberland County. We depend on these trucks to shuttle water."

Authorities ask that anyone with information about this investigation please contact Cumberland County Sheriff's Office Fire Investigator T. Whitman at (910) 321-6786 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477). Crimestoppers information can also be submitted electronically.

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