Orange County

1 person killed in ‘significant’ Carrboro apartment fire; 20 residents displaced

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  • One person killed and 20 residents displaced after a Monday fire at Hillmont Apartments.
  • Carrboro Fire-Rescue arrived within two minutes and found heavy smoke and visible flames.
  • Officials estimate fire caused $700,000 in damages; investigators investigating the cause.

One person was killed and 20 residents were displaced Monday after a fire broke out at a Fidelity Street apartment building near downtown Carrboro.

The name of the person killed is being withheld until family can be notified, the town said.

The fire call came in around 4 p.m. Monday, according to a town news release. Carrboro Fire-Rescue Department firefighters responded within two minutes, finding heavy smoke and visible flames coming from multiple units in Building A at Hillmont Apartments.

The complex is located at 124 Fidelity St. near the Davie Road intersection and Westwood Cemetery. Additional firefighters were called to the scene from several local departments because of the volume of the fire, the release said.

Multiple apartments had “significant fire damage,” while other apartments had smoke damage, the release said. The American Red Cross is helping displaced residents with temporary housing and immediate needs.

A fire at the Hillmont Apartments on Fidelity Street in Carrboro killed one person and displaced 20 others on Monday, May 4, 2026.
A fire at the Hillmont Apartments on Fidelity Street in Carrboro killed one person and displaced 20 others on Monday, May 4, 2026. Contributed Michael Benson

Police and fire are still investigating and have blocked the area around Davie Road and Fidelity Street. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The fire caused an estimated $700,000 in damages.

The story will be updated.

Tammy Grubb
The News & Observer
Tammy Grubb has written about Orange County’s politics, people and government since 2010. She is a UNC-Chapel Hill alumna and has lived and worked in the Triangle for over 30 years.
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