Official confirms death in Thomasville house fire

Feb. 27--The Davidson County 911 Center received a call of the house fire at 2:47 a.m., said Jamie Everhart, a 911 supervisor. Rocky Watts, division chief of code enforcement/fire marshal for the TFD, and Don Crafford, the acting chief for the TFD, each confirmed one person died as a result of the two-story house fire. Watts said early Thursday morning that the deceased was found on the home's second floor.

Det. Chet Jarrell with the Thomasville Police Department confirmed the residence is a boarding house. He delivered investigators a search warrant about 11 a.m. so they could enter the house. Jarrell is the TPD's lead investigator in the case.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined but appears to be accidental. Jarrell said the fire originated in one of the bedrooms on the second floor where the deceased was living.

Police were not releasing the victim's name, although Wanda Baker of Thomasville said her brother died in the fire. She chose not to release his name due to the ongoing investigation by authorities. Jarrell confirmed the victim was a male.

Crafford said firefighters arrived on the scene to find heavy flames coming from the second floor. Firefighters went into the structure in an attempt to make a rescue.

"With the intensity and volume of the fire, they had to back down and go defensive to knock the main seat of the fire down," Crafford said. "When we went back in to finish up our primary search, we did find a victim on the second floor."

Crafford said there were six people, including the victim, in the home. The Greater High Point-Davidson Chapter of the American Red Cross is providing temporary shelter for the residents. Crafford said it was his understanding that all adults lived at the house.

The main portion of the fire was on the second floor and attic area of the house. It took about an hour to fully control the fire. He said about 9:30 a.m. the occupants of the home moved to a different location.

One other person might have been injured in the fire. He said a person left the residence, and the unknown injuries might not be related to the fire.

Crafford said the home was heavily damaged, and it would be up to the owner and his insurance on whether it's declared a total loss. He said the fire wasn't immediately suspicious.

"But certainly once the investigators get in and do their thing, we will be able to determine that (if foul play was involved)," the acting chief said.

Watts was being assisted on the scene by investigators with the Davidson County Fire Marshal's Office and N.C. State Bureau of Investigation. Crafford said the TFD typically involves the SBI when it investigates a fire fatality. He said the TFD doesn't deal with fire fatalities on a daily basis and wanted to make sure all bases were covered.

Capt. Darren Smith of the Thomasville Police Department said his agency was working Thursday morning in conjunction with the SBI. He said the search warrant is standard procedure in fire fatalities so investigators can process the scene. The search warrant helps in case the fire isn't accidental.

Jarrell confirmed there were efforts by the other occupants to save the resident.

"I don't suspect foul play at the time, but just to be thorough we are going to do a complete and thorough investigation to make sure we don't leave any stone unturned," the detective said Thursday morning.

Larry James, director of Davidson County Emergency Services and county medical examiner, said he would not have findings regarding the cause of death until an autopsy is completed. The body would be sent to Raleigh on Friday for the autopsy. James said he has a tentative identification of who the victim might be but couldn't release the name without positive identification.

Bryant Thomas, a supervisor at Whitewood Industries on Cox Avenue, identified one of those who lived at the house as one of his employees, Tabitha Woodall. He said employees were collecting money to help Woodall, and residents can assist by calling 472-0303 and asking for Dollie Corner.

"She doesn't have a place to stay and no clothes," Thomas said. "We are taking up a collection for her and go shopping for her to buy clothes and personal items."

Thomas said Woodall told him that the fire broke out in the victim's room. He said the man's brother tried to pull him out. Thomas said the brother knocked on Woodall's door and got her out of the fire.

He said he also has been told there was no smoke alarm in the house.

Baker explained she received a call about 4 a.m. that her brother had died. She said there was "numbness" after learning of the fire. She said the death relates to her late husband, Henry Baker, dying at the age of 29 years old seven years ago in a fire.

"By God," Baker said as she referred to how she will pick up the pieces. She was waiting at the scene hoping to find out what caused the fire.

Garcia Hill, Baker's boyfriend, was lying beside of his girlfriend when she received the call. He said it was a phone call that no one wants to get.

"It was not a pretty sight," Hill said of the call. "Chaos broke loose."

Hill said he was going to be there for his girlfriend every step of the way.

Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com. Follow Darrick on Twitter: @DispatchDarrick.

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