Family and friends react after High Point house fire leaves one dead, one injured

HIGH POINT, N.C. — A man has died, and a woman is in critical condition following a house fire on Barbee Avenue in High Point, according to officials with the High Point Fire Department.

Firefighters said it happened Sunday just before 8:30 p.m. They were called to the 600 block of Barbee Avenue to find heavy smoke emanating from the rear of a one-story home.

Crews then made entry, finding one victim inside. That victim, a female, was immediately removed and transported to a local hospital, where she remains in critical condition.

Crews continued to search for a second reported resident. However, due to extreme fire conditions, they were unable to find the occupant until the fire was brought under control.

Firefighters managed to control the blaze within approximately 25 minutes. A second victim, a male, was then found. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

ABC45 was at the home on Monday. A family friend, who spoke off-camera, expressed shock upon hearing the news. He mentioned having spoken with the residents on Friday and had arrived at the home on Monday to mow their lawn. He was unaware of the fire and was devastated by the news, tearfully stating that they were "good people" and "would be dearly missed." The friend said the couple had lived there for over 20 years.

Family members also visited the home on Monday but declined to appear on camera. They did tell ABC45 it had been a difficult couple of hours and were hoping for the best in the coming days.

The High Point Fire Department said 18 crews, consisting of 49 personnel, fought the fire. The damage was confined to the structure, with an estimated cost of around $75,000.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Fire investigators are currently conducting scene reconstruction and completing their assessment.