Overnight fire ravages northeast Charlotte home - WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC

Overnight fire ravages northeast Charlotte home

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Firefighters said a vacant home that was destroyed by an overnight fire is being called suspicious.

The flames were so intense when Charlotte firefighters arrived on the 12400 block of Pantherville Drive, they had to quickly pull their vehicles back to escape the fires intensity.

Gwen Reed, who lives in the house next door, said she didn't even know anything was going on until police started banging on her door.

"I just kept hearing this pounding on the door, I just thought I was dreaming." Reed said.  "I got up and the police said you have to get out of your home now."

Reed grabbed a few clothes, some important belongings and ran outside, only to encounter the same wall of fire emergency crews did.

"It was really ablaze at that time.  From the roof up, it was just engulfed in flame...everywhere."

Reed managed to escape, and her home did as well.

Firefighters were able to bring the situation under control, but the two-thousand square foot home was no more.

Crews said they had several collapses, including the roof, several walls and the floor.

Because of the danger, firefighters weren't even able to get inside.  They took a defensive position and battled with it from the outside.

Investigators were on scene at first light trying to figure out how it started.

Neighbors said the house had been vacant for more than a year, and that it had been for sale for a while.

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