UPDATE — 12/29/25, 3:15 p.m. ET: One person has died, while another remains hospitalized, after a fire broke out at a North Carolina house belonging to NASCAR star Denny Hamlin.
The residence was home to Hamlin’s parents, officials said on Monday, December 29.
The identities of the two individuals have not been released. According to WSOC-TV, the hospitalized individual has “life-threatening” injuries.
Fire crews responded to the blaze on Sunday, December 28, at around 6:20 p.m. and the blaze took nearly two hours to extinguish.
Original story below:
Two people were hospitalized after a large fire broke out at a North Carolina home belonging to NASCAR star Denny Hamlin.
Chief David Toomey of the Lucia Riverbend Fire Department told The Athletic that the fire was reported at 6:19 p.m. ET on Sunday, December 28. The home was reportedly the residence of Hamlin’s parents.
Both individuals who were hospitalized were outside of the home when emergency crews arrived. Their identities have not been revealed.
Hamlin, 45 and his fiancée, Jordan Fish, share three children: daughters Taylor, 12, and Molly, 7, and son Jameson, born in June.
Toomey said 40 to 45 percent of the home was on fire when officials got to the site. The chief explained that 10 to 15 fire departments responded to the call due to a lack of fire hydrants in the area.
The fire was still “bursting from the roof and side of the building” at 9:30 p.m., per The Athletic. The scene was wrapped up at 11:20 p.m., with the home described as “a total loss.”
“They had some really expensive cars in the garage and some racing memorabilia and stuff, so all that was saved,” Toomey told The Athletic. “We were able to save all that and get it out so it wasn’t damaged.”
The 3,724-square-foot house was built in 2015, according to real estate records. The home had four bedrooms and three bathrooms, all sitting on 1.76 acres.
Hamlin is coming off a successful 2025 season, which saw him win six races and earn 14 top-5 finishes. He finished second in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series standings, trailing winner Kyle Larson by just four points.
The fire at Hamlin’s home comes on the heels of another NASCAR tragedy in North Carolina.
Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife, Cristina, his daughter, Emma, and his son, Ryder, were all killed when his plane crashed shortly after takeoff at Statesville Regional Airport on December 18.
The three other passengers on the plane — pilot Dennis Dutton, his son Jack and NASCAR motorhome driver Craig Wadsworth — also died in the crash.
Hamlin mourned the loss of the Biffle family and those onboard with an emotional message on social media.
“Today the motorsports world lost one of its fiercest competitors and kindest souls,” Hamlin wrote via X. “Greg Biffle was a champion on the track and a humanitarian off it, whose impact reached far beyond racing.
Hamlin added, “We also mourn the loss of his wife Cristina and children Emma & Ryder, along with Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton, and his son Jack. My heart is with all their families and loved ones.”
The investigation into the plane crash remains ongoing, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
“Our representative with the National Transportation Safety Board disaster assistance division is continuing to work with the family members and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this accident,” NTSB board member Michael Graham in a press conference on December 20. “And I want to thank the family members who have been assisting our team during this terrible time.”
