Florence flooding: Mudslide causes large fire at North Carolina bank

ASHE COUNTY, N.C. —

Floods from Florence are still causing problems across North Carolina.

On Tuesday, officials said rainfall from the hurricane was responsible for a mudslide which caused a fire at a bank in Ashe County.

Authorities told WSOC within minutes of the mudslide, much of Life Store Bank in Warrensville was engulfed in flames.

The storm dumped six to eight inches of rain in that area.

“Can’t believe it happened, resident Vickie Cooper told WSOC. “Since we’ve had so much rain from Hurricane Florence it’s no doubt something bad was bound to happen. I just hate that it happened to the bank.”

Mud and rocks from the slide sent a propane tank into the building, where it slammed into the bank’s vault, investigators said.

Two employees and a customer were injured during the incident; no injuries were serious.

“It’s horrible,” customer Cathy Kelly said. It’s unbelievable that no one actually got hurt. It’s just amazing. Here one day and gone the next.”