N.C. Teen, 16, Killed After Fire Breaks Out at Family Camper: ‘We Did Everything We Could’
GoFundMe Blake Lantz
A North Carolina teenager was killed in a fire after his family’s camper went up in flames, local authorities said.
Blake Lantz, 16, died on Sunday in a blaze that tore through the Ela Campground in Bryson City at 11 p.m., the Swain County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
The fire spread to nine different units, seven of which were “totally destroyed,” and also injured Blake’s brother, according to the statement.
The teen’s older brothers Colt and Cody said the flames began quickly, and that they suspect it was due to an issue with a kerosene heater, ABC affiliate WLOS reported.
“We did everything that we could to try to get him out,” Cody told the outlet. “[I] think the smoke and whatnot knocked him out. We’re happy that he didn’t suffer.”
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The boys said that they tried to use a garden hose to put out the fire, but were unsuccessful, and had to climb over the railing of the camper next door and bust through a door to get to safety.
“We just froze in fear and we just couldn’t get [Blake] out,” said Colton, who suffered minor injuries, including burns, stitches and cuts.
A GoFundMe page for the family has since been arranged to benefit Colton, Cody, their father Terry and their mom Brooke.
“The fire took everything from the boys, thus I am setting up this GoFundMe for those of you who have inquired about donations or would like to do so,” the page read. “Please know the greatest support of all is to show love in any form and so many have reached out and have already done that with caring words and gestures for which is so instrumental in the healing process.”
Blake was a sophomore at Swain County High School, where he played on the football team.
