A civilian who was battling the blaze before firefighters arrived was fatally injured and was pronounced dead at the scene, the statement said. The dead man was identified as Randy Herring, the owner of the La Grange property where the fire broke out, Lenoir County’s emergency services said on Facebook. Three La Grange Volunteer Firefighters were injured in the blast and were taken to hospitals for treatment, the statement said. Two of the firefighters were released and the third was taken to a burn center. Firefighters worked all night to contain the blaze and “completely extinguish the hotspots,” Lenoir County emergency services said Saturday. The incident remains under investigation.
