CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A northeast Charlotte house fire that killed one person and sent three to the hospital remains under investigation, police reiterated Wednesday.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said Wednesday they are continuing to investigate the fire and the death of 56-year-old Winford 'Todd' Anthony. While the case is considered a "death investigation," on Wednesday CMPD said they were no longer classifying it as a "homicide," which is how CMPD paperwork classified the case Tuesday.
Shortly after midnight Tuesday morning, Charlotte Fire Department responded to the fire on Eastbrook Road, which is located near the intersection of The Plaza and East W.T. Harris Boulevard. The fire caused extensive damage to the home.
When the fire occurred, there were eight people, including five children, inside the home. Three people suffered serious injuries in the fire. Those victims were rushed to a hospital by Medic for treatment. They were not publically identified.
Anthony, who his family said used a wheelchair for mobility and was a former Marine, was pronounced dead at the scene.
“When there’s a death that involves a fire, obviously that’s not a natural death. So homicide detectives are called in to work alongside arson investigators," CMPD Captain of Violent Crimes Division Joel McNelly said Wednesday. "We're working right now on that investigation.”
Investigators have not ruled out the possibility the fire could have been arson.
The family is trying to cope with the idea the fire could have been intentionally set.
“If we could just get whoever it is that has decided to take him from us, we would really appreciate getting assistance in that, because we will never be able to get him back and that’s not okay," family member Janga Anthony said. “He was the light of everyone’s life, he was a father, he was a son, he was a brother and he will be dearly missed."
“It is very very hard to look back and reflect and just know days ago we were able to go there and share memories," Anthony said while looking at the damaged home. "It's going to be a hard road to start re-building.”
A GoFundMe was created to help the family.
CMPD has not released any suspect information or announced any arrests in connection with the case. Anyone with information is asked to call CMPD's Crime Stoppers tip line at 704-334-1600.
Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
MORE ON WCNC
FREE PODCASTS
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || Google Podcasts
Locked On is the leading podcast network for local sports and is owned by WCNC Charlotte's parent company TEGNA.
Listen to Locked On here.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.