Victim identified in deadly Sampson County house fire

NEWTON GROVE, NC (WTVD) -- Authorities are investigating a deadly house fire that claimed the life of one person Tuesday morning.

The Sampson County Sheriff's Office said emergency crews responded after a 911 call came in about 2:45 a.m. about a fire in the 3100 block of Harnett-Dunn Highway near Newton Grove.

Firefighters found the body of a man inside the home while extinguishing the fire.

The victim was identified as Jimmy Lee, age 52, who was the owner of the residence.

The cause of the fire remains unknown. Investigators from the Sampson County Sheriff's Office, the Sampson County Fire Marshal's Office and the NC State Bureau of Investigation were called in to investigate.

Lee's official cause of death is pending the Medical Examiners autopsy.

Fire departments from Newton Grove, Spivey's Corner, Plainview, Vann's Crossroads and Meadow responded along with Sampson County EMS, Newton Grove Rescue and Suttontown Rescue.