Tragic House Fire in Aiken County leaves One Man Dead, Family Devastated
A Late Night Blaze Claims a Life
In a shocking incident, a late-night house fire in Aiken County resulted in the tragic death of a man on Friday night. On the John Nunn Highway in the Salley area, Yvonne Neal’s home suddenly went ablaze, leaving it a total loss. With the fire extinguished, investigating crews found the grim discovery of a man’s body inside the burnt out home.
Harrowing Aftermath
Overwhelmed with grief, Yvonne Neal, who lost her house in the fire, expressed her devastation, “I lost everything, and I don’t know what I’m going to do.” The victim, believed to be Neal’s partner of two decades, has not been officially identified. The extent of his injuries prevented the Aiken County Coroner from immediate identification.
Due to this tragic incident turning the situation into an active crime scene, the family’s worst fears could not be immediately confirmed. “They couldn’t verify 100% but we know who it was because his truck was out there and he was supposed to be there, there was no one else that had access to the property” said Kimberly Fail, daughter of Yvonne Neal.
Timing Adds to the Tragedy
In a cruel coincidence, Neal’s partner had moved back into the house just a day before the fire. Neal herself wasn’t present at the time because she had recently relocated to live with her daughter, Kimberly Fail, due to health issues.
He had spoken with her that morning, informing her that he would be moving back to their residence. “My mother has been living with us here for the past couple months due to health issues,” Kimberly shared. The sudden loss has left the family in a cloud of grief and disbelief, with Neal expressing, “I feel like a big cloud has moved in over my head. I can’t think, I can’t concentrate about anything.”
Investigation Underway
As of now, the Aiken County Coroner has not released the identity of the victim pending an autopsy, which is scheduled to be conducted in Newberry. The cause of the fire also remains under examination as the investigators strive to piece together the sequence of events leading up to the fire breakout.
