Two Adults, Child Killed In Lincolnton House Fire

LINCOLNTON, N.C. – Two adults and a child were killed in an early morning house fire in Lincoln County.

Firefighters were called to a home on Cloudburst Circle on Wednesday, April 17th at approximately 2:46 a.m. The caller alerted them that there were three people inside the house, officials said.

Upon arrival, firefighters found the home engulfed in a heavy fire. Firefighters from Maiden, Pumpkin and Lincolnton were able to control the flames in approximately 20 minutes, officials said.

Firefighters entered the home and found three victims, two adults and one child. Pattie Harbison and her five year old great-grand daughter died in the fire, along a man named Joseph Phillips who was renting a room in the home.

“She took care of all her kids, her grand-children, even the great grands,” says Harbison’s sister. “She loved each and every one of them and she did everything in her power to make sure they were ok.”

The fire also took the lives of multiple animals here on the property. Five different dogs died in this house fire, along with four chickens.

Officials said one firefighter sustained minor injuries while attempting to rescue the victims. He was treated and released.

The cause of the fire was later determined to be accidental. It started due to improperly discarded smoking materials, officials said.