Elderly man, five animals killed in Duplin County home explosion
By WECT Staff | September 24, 2020 at 11:29 AM EDT – Updated September 24 at 6:05 PM
DUPLIN COUNTY, N.C. (WECT/WITN) – Duplin County officials say a 79-year-old man and five animals were killed in a home explosion in the Beulaville area Wednesday morning.
The explosion happened at a home on Jackson Store Road near Cornmill Road.
Officials say the victim, identified as Lon Record, was taken to an area hospital before being airlifted to the Chapel Hill Burn Center, where he would later die from his injuries.
Officials say a total of 17 animals were at the home at the time of the explosion. Five of them were killed, and 12 of the surviving animals were taken to the Wilmington Emergency Animal Clinic for treatment.
Six of those animals are in critical condition, officials say.
Copyright 2020 WECT. All rights reserved. WITN contributed to this report.