Update on Fifth Street house fire that claimed fireman's life

Captain Ronnie Metcalf, a 19-year veteran of the LFD died on Friday, March 29 after sustaining life-ending burn injuries while serving in the line of duty in response to a house fire on fifth street. Following the fire, Captain Metcalf suffered burns to sixty percent of his body and succumbed to his injuries after four days at Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Hospital. Out of respect for our fallen hero, Captain Ronnie Metcalf, we intentionally refrained from any public comments until after he could be laid to rest.

Ronnie Metcalf was a father, husband, and a 19-year veteran of the Lexington Fire Department. He was a hero and a good man to all who knew him. Friends have established a gift card meal train for the Metcalf family during this difficult time. People who want to donate should go to: tinyurl.com/MetcalfHelp.

After a tragedy like this, the fire department evaluates the incident to better determine what happened and hopefully learn more and do everything possible to try and prevent anything like this from ever happening again.

In addition to our evaluation, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration will do their own evaluations. We’ve already been in contact with those agencies and will do everything we can to assist them.

Four firefighters including Captain Metcalf, two search team members, and one nozzle operator entered the vacant house to fight the raging fire. Simultaneously, a separate team of firefighters called a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) stood ready outside to rush inside should anything go wrong. This is standard procedure to keep firefighters safe. Captain Metcalf and another firefighter worked as a pair to fight the fire while protecting the other two who were searching for possible victims.

There was near-zero visibility inside the fire. As his partner was spraying water, Captain Metcalf told his partner he was moving to get more hose. Moments later, the on-scene commander ordered an evacuation of the house due to rapidly worsening fire conditions. Once it became clear that Captain Metcalf didn’t evacuate the house with others, the RIT team immediately stepped in to begin rescue operations.

The RIT team moved much faster than expected in such dangerous conditions. They found Captain Metcalf and removed him out of the burning building and into EMS care. Tragically, Captain Metcalf passed away from his injuries three days later.

While our evaluation has just begun, we do know that these firefighters faced a difficult, intensely burning fire in a house where conditions were rapidly deteriorating. In these situations, firefighters must crawl through an unfamiliar structure in near total darkness, heavy smoke, and several hundred degrees of heat.

Everyone at the Lexington Fire Department is devastated by this tragic loss. It’s with heavy hearts that all of the brave men and women of the fire department continue Captain Metcalf’s legacy keeping our community safe.

Detectives with Lexington Police are handling the criminal investigation while the Lexington Fire Marshal works to determine how the fire was started. Additionally, the Lexington Fire Marshal, Davidson County Fire Marshal, NC State Bureau of Investigation, and the ATF are assisting. Any questions about the criminal investigation should be directed to the Lexington Police Department.

Two suspects, a man and a woman, were identified when they approached officers on the scene of the fire while it was occurring. On Saturday March 30, law enforcement officers then used surveillance video from a nearby camera showing that the two suspects were in and around the house on Fifth Street prior to the fire and as the flames grew rapidly.

In partnering with the District Attorney’s office, Lexington Police obtained warrants on the suspects for breaking and entering the house where the fire occurred and another property, 38 Mill Street.

During a search at 38 Mill Street, investigators found evidence that supported additional charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and felony possession of Methamphetamines. Police did not find evidence that pointed to these two suspects using drugs while in the Fifth Street house on the night of the fire. The criminal investigation and evaluation of the fire are ongoing.