Father, son die in Johnston County house fire on Christmas morning

WILSONS MILLS, N.C. (WTVD) -- Two people were killed in Johnston County when a fire broke out on Christmas morning.

The fire started at a home in the 100 block of Red Oak Drive in Wilsons Mills. Firefighters responded shortly after 5 a.m. and found the front of the house on fire.

Firefighters were told there may be people trapped inside and went inside the "heavily involved" house with flames shooting through the roof.

They found one man dead about 10 feet from the front door. The fire became so intense that firefighters had to evacuate and resume a search for victims once the fire had been under better control.

When they were able to re-enter, they found a second man dead, not far from the first, the Wilsons Mills Fire Department said. A woman who escaped the home was evaluated at the scene but appeared to be physically OK.

According to neighbors, the two people killed were a father and son. The mother was able to escape.

On Friday, the fire department confirmed that the victims were a 74-year-old man and his 53-year-old son. Wilsons Mills FC said both victims had existing health conditions and were unable to escape the burning home.

Their names have not been released.

It took about another hour to get the fire under control. Wilsons Mills FD said the structure may smolder for the next several days, and there was a potential for flare-ups. People are asked to avoid the area, as it is considered an active crime scene because of the "severity of the incident."

"It is deeply tragic to lose family members in such circumstances, particularly during the Christmas season," Wilsons Mills FD Chief Jason Moore said. "We ask the community to keep the affected family in your thoughts and prayers."

The fire is being ruled accidental, with the preliminary cause identified as an unspecified electrical malfunction. Officials said Friday that the woman at the home told them that she had experienced a problem with an electrical breaker before the fire broke out.

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