North Carolina house fire reportedly killed the father of the NASCAR driver Dennis Hamlin and seriously injured his mother.
The Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services said on Facebook that multiple fire departments were dispatched to a possible house fire.with trapping“Sunday evening.
The victims were identified Monday as Dennis Hamlin and Mary Lou Hamlin, according to Charlotte station WSOC. They are the parents of the 45-year-old NASCAR champion, whose 60 career victories include three Daytona 500 checkered flags.
Dennis Hamlin, 75, reportedly died from his injuries at a North Carolina hospital. His wife, 69, is being treated at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center in Winston-Salem.
The causes of the fire had not yet been determined Monday evening.
Hamlin recently spoke about her father’s declining healthaccording to the NASCAR website. He credits his father with supporting his racing career early on, while growing up in Florida.
“He’s the one who got me into running,” Hamlin said before an October race in Las Vegas.
Dennis Hamlin said in a 2006 interview that his son returned the favor when he hit it big by buying him a house outside Charlotte and telling him his working days were over.
“He handed me the keys to a new house and said, ‘It’s furnished, take your clothes, sell the business,’” he recalls.
Mary Lou Hamlin reportedly found work running her son’s fan club.
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