Near ROCKINGHAM, N.C. -- A fire in Richmond County destroyed a home on Friday, leaving only one wall standing.
The initial call came in to first responders as a house explosion. But investigators said later that there appears to be no sign of an explosion.
The fire was reported at about 8:30 a.m. Friday at a home on McGee Road just south of Rockingham.
Dwight Thompson says half of his friend's house was already gone when he spotted the fire. Thompson just happened to be driving by.
"A lot of smoke and flames coming out of the windows," Thompson said.
He worried Clyde Perhealth Jr., who was raised on the land, was still inside.
"I immediately went to the house and I broke the window out," Thompson said.
But Perhealth wasn't inside the house when Thompson found him. He was in the backyard.
"He said he was blown out, but I don't know how he got out. He was probably six or eight feet from the backdoor where I found him," Thompson said.
Firefighters say Perhealth was asleep when flames broke out.
"We have not found any signs that there was an explosion at this point," said Lt. Bob Smith with Cordova Fire Department.
Investigators have also ruled out foul play and arson. They are looking into Perhealth's heating as a possible cause. They say he had electric heaters and propane-fueled central heating.
Perhealth was airlifted to UNC-Chapel Hill. At last check, he was listed in fair condition.
