Police investigating after body found in home that caught fire in Kings Mountain

The Kings Mountain Police Department is investigating a death after a 63-year-old man’s body was found in a home that caught fire.

Police said they responded to the home on Ansler Street near the Highway 74 overpass after receiving reports about a fire.

At the scene, investigators said there were no visible signs of a working fire. However, there were significant signs that a fire had occurred. The Kings Mountain Fire Department then entered the home and found a man’s body among the debris.

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Channel 9′s Ken Lemon found Lenny Pridges with a lost look on his face, staring at the house where his dear friend lived a happy life and died a mysterious death.

“It just makes no sense to me,” he said. “It would be a great relief just to know exactly what happened.”

Pridges said he had meals with his friend at the house and that he was like family to him.

The same was true for another woman who lived up the street. On Saturday morning, her grandchildren came to see the man and found his door unlocked. They said the home seemed to be burned inside.

Police said it appears someone set a fire inside.

“It does appear the fire was set. It doesn’t appear that the victim set this fire,” said Chief Gerald Childress, with the Kings Mountain Police Department.

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Childress said he asked the State Bureau of Investigation to help investigate, including analyzing the debris inside.

“Give us some more details on maybe the cause. Any kind of accelerant or anything like that, that may have been used,” Childress said.

Officials said they are performing an autopsy on the victim’s body. His identity has not been released at this point.

Neighbor Billy Smith said the death hits home for so many people there.

“He was a nice person. Very nice person,” Smith said. “This is our community. We live here.”

Lemon has reported in the area for 24 years and said it’s the third time he’s reported a tragedy at the house, all unrelated.

Authorities did not release any further information.

(WATCH BELOW: Authorities investigating after fire at Catawba County home ruled arson)