Gastonia Fire Engulfs Residential Home

On May 23, the New Hope and Gastonia Fire Departments were dispatched to put out a structure fire at 2706 Bethesda Rd in Gastonia. Both fire departments were dispatched at around 9:21 a.m. with 31 personnel and 9 apparatus at the scene. As both teams arrived, they discovered a one story residential home billowing with smoke and flames. As they entered the building, the firemen encountered heavy fire in the corner bedroom and were able to extinguish it within about ten minutes. Only one occupant of the home was there at the time of the fire but, despite being able to escape, received life threatening injuries and was rushed to Caromont Regional Medical Center. Currently, there is an investigation underway by the Gaston County Fire Investigations Task Force as to the cause of the fire.