A devastating house fire in Gaston County claimed one life and left another person with life-threatening injuries Sunday evening. The blaze broke out around 6 p.m. at a residence on Blacksnake Road in Stanley, where neighbors say NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin’s parents lived.
Emergency crews arrived to find the home engulfed in flames and two individuals outside the structure. Both were rushed to a nearby hospital, where one has since passed away and the other remains in critical condition.
Firefighters from more than a dozen departments battled the inferno for nearly two hours under challenging conditions. The rural location lacked fire hydrants, forcing crews to shuttle water using tanker trucks. Despite their efforts, the home was completely destroyed.
Property records show the house is tied to a company owned by Hamlin, though officials have not released the identities of the victims. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.