Man, two teenagers found dead in Wake County house fire
Three people are dead after a house fire Tuesday in southern Wake County.
Firefighters were called to Rand Road near the intersection with Ten Ten Road in the Garner area at 9:38 a.m., according to a Wake County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson. When first responders arrived five minutes later, they found heavy smoke coming from the home, the spokesperson said.
A man and two teenagers found during a search of the home were pronounced dead at the scene, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The man has been identified as 49-year-old Shannon Collins. The juvenile victims, whose names were not released, were 13 and 15 years old.
Two cats were also found dead inside the home.
Wake County Sheriff’s Office asks for patience
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the victims’ cause of death, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news update Tuesday night.
“The entire Sheriff’s Office is thinking about and praying for the loved ones of the victims,” Sheriff Willie Rowe said in the update.
“A tragedy like this impacts the entire community, and we understand there are questions that may arise,” he said. “Our investigators and partnering agencies are working diligently to conduct a thorough investigation. We ask for your patience as that work continues.”
In addition to the the Sheriff’s Office, the fire is being investigated by the Wake County Fire Marshal, the State Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives and the N.C. Office of the State Fire Marshal.
Firefighters fought the blaze in almost 100 degree temperatures and took refuge under the trees., according to ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner.
“Wake county EMS provides rehab for us,” Barrett Penny, interim fire chief at Garner Fire and Rescue, told ABC11. “They did a phenomenal job monitoring our people today making sure they were protected from the heat, not allowing them to overexert themselves and work beyond their capabilities.”
This story was originally published June 24, 2025 at 12:12 PM.
