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11:59 p.m. • 5-18-13

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Published: 2013-03-10 07:58:00
Updated: 2013-03-10 23:16:24

Posted: March 10

Car crashes into Garner home, ignites fire

Garner house fire
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Garner house fire
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Garner, N.C. — Police are looking for the driver of a car that crashed into a Garner home early Sunday and started a fire.

Garner fire officials said the car struck the side of a house at 1311 Elkhorn Road shortly after 4 a.m. and hit a natural gas line, causing the blaze.

The homeowner said he was sleeping when a loud, powerful crash shook his house. He and his two dogs were able to escape without injury.

Neighbor Shawn Penny said he and his wife stepped outside after they heard several explosions.

"I am amazed no one was hurt," Penny said. "That was a pretty big fire and it happened so fast. With the gas rupture, it consumed (the house) immediately. It all happened within just a few minutes."

Authorities said the house is a total loss.

The owner of the 2010 Chevy involved in the crash was at home asleep when the car hit the house, police said. Investigators have not released any information about possible suspects.

Copyright 2013 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

9 Comments


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Latest Comments
LocalYokel, the only way LEO's can prevent every traffic violation that might occur is to take away everyone's right to drive and drive us around themselves. Maybe you can start by turning yours in first.

Similar to the gun argument, there are already laws that say you can't speed, drive drunk, and run into houses in the middle of the night and cause a fire. Unfortunately it still happens. People need to except that laws can not prevent every bad thing that might happen. People who care won't break the law, but people who don't care should face the punishment our many existing laws dictate.
seumfithy
March 11, 2013 3:18 p.m.
I don't think the problem is with LEO, but rather the judges that allow defendants to plead DWI and speeding/careless reckless to improper equipment or "prayer for judgement". How many people are actually convicted of careless & reckless or speeding these days? DWI conviction %'s are probably higher, but plenty of people drive on revoked licenses anyway.
SaveEnergyMan
March 11, 2013 3:01 p.m.
LocalYokel, WAKE UP!!!. Pointing the finger at Police, think agin. Point the finger at the dumb ... driver. In the past 2 years there has bee layoffs in the LEO filed. EXP. NC State Capitol Police who had a partol unit, was cut in the state budget of 2011, layoffing 40 police officers. Also police can't partol when they are tied up handling calls like missing kids and domestic violence. People like you make me sick.
Click to view my profile parkranger72
March 11, 2013 2:29 p.m.
Whats with all the cars/trucks crashing into homes all of a sudden? In the past week its been 3 houses, 1 store and some other business. Geez
prisskat
March 11, 2013 1:33 p.m.
If LEO's were doing their job we would not have monthly wrong way drivers on the beltline, cars crashing into houses, consistent speeding and aggressive driving on all roads.
LocalYokel
March 11, 2013 11:39 a.m.
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