Less than 48 hours after winning a playoff game, Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera had to deal with what firefighters are calling a "significant" fire at his home in Charlotte, N.C., according to the Charlotte Observer. Officials said everyone in the house, pets included, made it out safely.
Ron Rivera’s house catches on fire 2 days after playoff win
No one was injured, though firefighters said the family won’t be able to live in the home for the short term.
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Emergency crews responded to a call from the home’s security system just after 4 a.m. Monday. It took 56 firefighters 62 minutes to control the blaze, which caused heavy damage to the roof and attic. The downstairs area sustained smoke and water damage.
Charlotte Fire Capt. Rob Brisley stated the family “won’t be able to live there in the short term.”
Rivera spoke to the media on Monday afternoon, explaining that the fire started along the wall to his bedroom where he and his wife were sleeping, presumably from a gas fireplace that his brothers had used earlier in the day. According to Joe Person of the Observer, Rivera said it would take between six and eight months to to rebuild the damage. In the short term, he and his wife plan to stay at a friend’s home.
Rivera tweeted this on Monday afternoon:
Thank you to everyone for your concern. Family is ok, and that's all that matters. @NFL http://t.co/vINiqgLBmD
— Ron Rivera (@RiverboatRonHC) January 5, 2015 Last Saturday, Rivera's Panthers beat the Arizona Cardinals, 27-16, to advance to the Divisional round. They face a trip to Seattle to play the No. 1 seed Seahawks on Saturday night.
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