‘I wish I could have saved him’: Man killed in arson fire at west Charlotte home

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Investigators said a house fire in west Charlotte that left one person dead was intentionally set.

The blaze started just after 1 a.m. Sunday on Westerwood Village Drive, near Interstate 85 and Interstate 485.

When firefighters got to the area, they said there was heavy smoke and fire coming from the house. Our Channel 9 crew could see a lot of damage to the front of the home and neighbors told us they heard an explosion.

Officials said 35-year-old Oscar Garcia died in the fire. A firefighter was also hurt and taken to the hospital, but they are expected to be OK.

Neighbor Stefan Crawford was three doors down when he said he saw the smoke and ran to help Garcia.

“When I walked over there the window was busted and the house was on fire in the inside and I asked the guy is there anybody in the house?” Crawford said. “He’s like, ‘Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me.’ So I rushed in the front door and when I kicked the front door that’s when all the smoke and fire came outside. I couldn’t go in to save him or nothing and all I could hear was him yelling and screaming.”

Crawford said he wishes it could have ended differently.

“I wish I could have saved him,” he said.

Authorities have not said what caused the fire but did say it was intentionally set and caused around $63,000 in damages. Sources told Channel 9 that it’s possible Garcia set the fire himself, but detectives are still looking into it.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department will be leading the investigation.

No other information has been released.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

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