Fire injures Merry Hill couple

Published 9:32 am Wednesday, January 23, 2013

MERRY HILL – A late-night fire left two people injured and their home a complete loss near here Tuesday.

Bertie Emergency Management Coordinator Mitch Cooper said the first call came in to Bertie Central Dispatch at approximately 10:45 p.m. and multiple fire departments reported to a structure fire at 1116 N.C. 45.

“The husband said an explosion woke him up and he went to check on his wife,” Cooper said. “He found her in a room where the contents were fully involved. He drug her outside to safety.”

Cooper said the husband was Riley Baker and his wife was Sue. He said Sue Baker was burned in multiple places and was flown to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville. Riley Baker was transported by ambulance to Vidant Bertie Hospital in Windsor.

Though Emergency Management is not in charge of investigating fires, Cooper said there is no reason to believe the fire is suspicious.

Four departments responded to the scene to find the home already fully engulfed. They were the Midway/Merry Hill Fire Department, Perrytown Fire Department, Colerain Fire Department and Windsor Fire Department.

The scene was cleared at 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday.