Chapel Hill police release 911 call about person found dead inside burning car
Chapel Hill police are investigating after a person was found dead in a burning car Wednesday afternoon in eastern Chapel Hill.
A 911 caller said the fire was inside the car, which was parked in front of the Sagebrook Apartments on Dickens Court. The complex is off Sage Road.
Police and the Chapel Hill Fire Department responded to the fire around 4 p.m. Wednesday, according to a news release. Police released the recording of the 911 call Thursday evening, along with an incident report that did not have many additional details.
A 9-year-old boy and an adult, who were at a nearby playground, called 911 after hearing a “big pop” at the apartments, according to the emergency call released Thursday. They didn’t know if anyone was in the car, the boy told the 911 operator.
The adult, who took the phone from him, said the fire was inside the car, and the car was on the street in front of the apartments. The adult didn’t think anyone was injured.
“We got up to see where the sound is coming from, and it’s a car on fire,” the adult said. “It’s so weird. It just made a great big pop sound, and then it just started burning it faster. We’re just in our playground and the smoke is getting real cloudy and now it’s turning brown.”
Someone responded with a fire extinguisher before the fire department arrived, according to the 911 call.
Police are continuing to investigate, the release stated.
Anyone with information about the fire or the person who was found can call 911 or call the Chapel Hill Police Department at 919-968-2760 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Callers who want to remain anonymous can call Chapel Hill-Carrboro-UNC Crimestoppers line at 919-942-7515.
This story was originally published April 14, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
