One man was killed early Sunday after his house caught fire on Preston Lane and he was unable to escape, Piney Fire Chief Scott Miser said.
The single-family wooden residence at 150 Preston Lane was fully involved when Piney firefighters responded to the scene after a neighbor called to report it shortly after 3 a.m., Miser told The Sentinel-Record.
The neighbor told the firefighters they believed the resident, who lived alone, was still inside "because all his vehicles were there," he said, and shortly after they arrived there were several explosions from inside.
Miser noted the man, who he believed was "50-something," had a workshop attached to the house and there were apparently propane tanks and acetylene torches and other items that lead to the explosions.
The victim, whose name was not being released pending notification of next of kin, was later found in the kitchen, he said, noting, "He didn't make it to the door." There were a few dogs inside the house that were also killed.
Miser said firefighters had the fire "knocked down" within about 30 minutes, but spent another three or four hours "getting everything completely mopped up." He said the house, which was "really old," was a total loss.
He estimated he had 20 firefighters or more who responded to the fire and there were no injuries.
The official cause of the fire is still under investigation, but he speculated it started in a wood stove.
Preston Lane is located off Mountain Pine Road, not far from the Mountain Pine Corner Store, 2702 Mountain Pine Road.