Worries that 'nice neighbor' is man found dead in fire

The fire started sometime before 2:50 a.m. at 8204 Newcomb St., east of Apex and Holly Springs. The body was sent to the state medical examiner's office for identification.

Property records indicate that the home belongs to James Walters. David Price, chief of the Fairview Fire Department, said that Walters' car was parked outside the home.

Until the body found inside the home is identified, neighbors are left to wonder and worry.

"He was a very friendly man," neighbor Paula Albertson said of Walters. "He was always out in his yard. He would wave as he would drive by. He had a dog that was with him all the time. He would take her for walks up and down the neighborhood street. He was just a nice older man. He was a nice neighbor."

A neighbor said he heard explosions before the fire, but investigators said that could have been from any number of household items, including aerosol containers.

The cause of the fire has not been determined. No other information was released.