Witnesses to the deadly house fire speaks out
"That would be the results of alcohol and drugs."
COLUMBUS COUNTY (WWAY)–A witness to a deadly house fire late Saturday night in Nakina is speaking out. The witness wished to remain anonymous but says the victim is his older brother. He claimed the fire stemmed from alcohol and drugs.
“That would be the results of alcohol and drugs,” the witness described.
Under cloudy skies and somber conditions, not much remains of a burnt mobile home. The weather reflects the emotions of one Nakina resident who knew the victim well.
“If I had made a move and called the right authorities, that would have never happened,” the witness said.
The bystander, who did not want to be on camera, still holds the regret. But said he wishes he did more.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” the witness said.
Late Saturday night, fire crews responded to the 700 block of Manley Smith Road in Nakina for a structure fire. Our onlooker tells us one woman was able to escape the flames, but a man trapped inside did not make it out. The observer says it was his older brother, 75-year-old Windell Clyde Smith.
“I heard a bam, bam, bam at my neighbor’s house- my brother’s house. I cracked the door, and I saw the man over there saying, ‘Imma kill you. Imma kill you. Imma kill you,’ I’m like, ‘Well, it happened before maybe they’ll go back to sleep,’ but the trailer was already up in flames,” the witness explained.
It was a heartbreaking loss for the witness. He said the loss of his brother feels like he lost a part of himself.
Now, all there’s left is a fallen home and a hole in our witness’s heart. However, amongst the burnt shell of this home, a moving windmill stands tall.
“The choices you make today, you have to live with tomorrow. Just like my old saying, ‘An ounce of prevention,’ I’m coming right back to it, ‘Is worth a pound of cure,'” the witness said.
The fire was determined as arson by The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations. The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office will be handling the homicide investigation. This is an active investigation. We will inform you as we learn more on air and online.
