House Fire Started by ‘Unattended Candle’ Rips Through N.C. Home, Causing $325,000 of Damage

A North Carolina home was severely damaged after a candle left burning “unattended” sparked a large fire, according to officials.

On Saturday, Dec. 6, the Charlotte Fire Department (CFD) responded to what they described as a “heavy fire throughout the structure” of a home on Sylvania Ave. in Charlotte, per a news release shared on Instagram.

The blaze began around 3 a.m. local time, Local 12 News reported. Fire investigators determined that the fire started from an unattended candle inside the home, the CFD said.

“Thirty Charlotte firefighters brought the fire under control in 45 minutes,” the department noted in its release. “One adult was assisted by the Red Cross.” No injuries were reported.

Photos from the scene showed flames reaching the roof of the house as firefighters worked around the property to extinguish the blaze. The fire caused an estimated $325,000 in damage, according to the CFD.

Candle fires are one of the leading causes of home fires in Charlotte, the department said. “They are far more destructive than many people realize,” officials explained. “National data shows more than half of all candle fires start when something flammable is too close to the flame. Nearly one quarter begins when candles are left unattended or misused.”

The CFD added that candle fires typically start in bedrooms before spreading to other parts of a home, and that “candle fire injuries occur at a significantly higher rate than many other home fire causes.”

In its release, the department shared several candle safety precautions for residents, urging people to never leave a burning candle unattended, keep candles away from anything that can burn, and consider using flameless alternatives to reduce the risk of house fires.