Burke County man dies after being pulled from burning house

A 45-year-old Burke County resident died at the hospital Friday, a day after firefighters pulled him from his burning house.

Firefighters found Kevin Christenbury unresponsive on the floor of his living room when they arrived at the burning house in Long View around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Capt. Barry Sigmon, Long View’s fire marshal.

Christenbury’s heart had apparently stopped, but emergency workers say they were able to revive him after pulling him from the house.

Christenbury died Friday morning at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, according to hospital officials.

A puppy who lived with Christenbury also died in the fire, Sigmon said.

Investigators believe that the fire started in the kitchen.

They have not yet determined its cause, but “we do not think it was suspicious,” Sigmon said.

Ames Alexander

This story was originally published May 20, 2016 at 3:39 PM with the headline "Burke County man dies after being pulled from burning house."