Fire chief gives safety tips and preparedness measures following two deadly fires in Pender County

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Collapsed roofs, warped metal, and melted glass are all that remains of two houses that burned in Pender County this week, with one person dying in each fire.

Crews had responded to a fire in the 4000 block of Willard Road in Penderlea Tuesday night, with the house catching fire again several hours later.

Another fire broke out early Friday morning in the 2000 block of Stag Park Road near Burgaw.

Penderlea Volunteer Fire Department Chief Wray Lefler said there are ways to be prepared in the event a fire breaks out.

“Then always keep your smoke detectors check regularly and have a fire extinguisher in good working order handy,” Lefler said. “They, uh, they sometimes do not have an evacuation plan and I would currently, I would really like to see everybody do that.”

Lefler also said you shouldn’t underestimate a fire and keeping calm is the best way to make sure everyone gets out safe and sound.

“Treat small fires as big ones. Make sure they do have an accountability of all family members once they have left the residence, make sure they have a meeting place where they can account for everybody would be one of the main things. And notify 911 immediately and do not return the residence at all.”

The identities of the two victims have not been released at this time and the cause of both fires are still under investigation.