May 18 marks two years since a South Park construction site fire led to the deaths of two trapped workers.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sunday marks two years since a five-alarm fire led to the deaths of two trapped workers at a South Park construction site.
The fire started at a construction site in south Charlotte around 9 a.m. on May 18, 2023. Over the next 45 minutes, the fire grew to a five-alarm response, triggering 90 units and more than 200 firefighters to the scene. Flames and massive clouds of black smoke poured from the site on Liberty Row Drive.
Fire investigators said the fire started accidentally after heat from operating equipment resulted in an insulation foam spray trailer on the ground floor igniting.
Demonte Sherrill and Reuben Holmes, who were working on the future apartment building, lost their lives in the blaze after being unable to escape.
Their families have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the companies involved with the construction project, alleging negligence for failing to meet minimum safety standards. That case is still awaiting trial.
The Charlotte Fire Department previously acknowledged fire marshals never inspected the construction site, blaming the builder and contractor for a communication failure. An inspection would have likely identified the lack of a required pre-fire safety plan and water source within the building.
The department has made changes since the deadly fire.
Before the SouthPark fire, developers were required to reach out to the Fire Marshal’s Office for inspections. The fire chief told WCNC the office is now being proactive by working directly with the county’s permitting process.
In 2024, the North Carolina Department of Labor reached a settlement with two contractors, Baker Insulation and MCRT Carolinas, in connection to the fire deaths. A third contractor, Diversified Insulation, LLC, didn’t contest citations levied in connection with the fire. All three were fined for health and safety violations following an investigation.
At the site of their deaths on Liberty Row Drive, crews have rebuilt the apartments the fire destroyed. Units there are now being pre-leased, according to the company’s website.
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