MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Caleb Farley said he received a call he would have never been prepared for.
"It didn’t sound good from the start," Farley said recalling the call that told him his father had been killed in a North Carolina home explosion.
One person was killed and another was taken to the hospital after a Mooresville home near Lake Norman exploded early Tuesday morning, Iredell County emergency officials confirmed.
Multiple agencies responded to the explosion at a home along Barber Loop and Old Arborway Road, which is just off Brawley School Road. It happened right around midnight. When the Iredell County Sheriff's Office arrived, deputies reported a heavy smell of natural gas on the property. Hazmat crews were immediately called to assist with the situation.
According to Iredell County Emergency Management, one person was leaving the home when first responders arrived about eight minutes later. That person was taken to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte with non-life-threatening injuries and was later identified 25-year-old Christian Rogers, who is a family friend. Authorities said he suffered a concussion from the explosion but is awake and alert at this time.
Another person, officials report, was later found dead after a search of the debris around 4:30 a.m. He has since been identified as 61-year-old Robert M. Farley. Officials said Robert Farley was on a FaceTime call at the time of the explosion with a family friend who thought Farley dropped the phone when the incident took place.
WCNC Charlotte reviewed property tax records for the home and confirmed the owner of the home is Caleb Farley, a cornerback for the Tennessee Titans and alum of Maiden High School in Catawba County. Caleb Farley also played college football at Virginia Tech. Caleb Farley was not at the home when the explosion happened.
Robert M. Farley is the father of Caleb Farley and was positively identified by Robert's brother and sister-in-law who were able to get to the scene.
"We're doing everything we can to support Caleb and his family," Titans head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Tuesday. "We'll do everything we can to be there for him. That's the most important thing. He has to focus on him. Everything else is pretty trivial."
Star running back Derrick Henry also responded to media questions about the explosion.
"Praying for Caleb," Henry said during the news conference. "I'm praying for his family. I'm sending my condolences. We all send our condolences during this tragic situation. We're praying for him. We love him, and we're all here for him."
The massive 6,391 square-foot home is a total loss along with several vehicles, Iredell County officials report.
Neighbors told WCNC Charlotte they heard an explosion that startled several residents.
"Almost right at midnight I heard a loud explosion, and it shook the house," a neighbor said. "I got up. Me and my wife went outside and I heard one of my other neighbors and we started walking through the neighborhood to find out what happened."
Officials haven't officially determined what caused the explosion yet.
"In this case, it was natural gas most likely," Kent Greene, Iredell County's director of fire services and emergency management, told WCNC Charlotte's Kayland Hagwood. "They're still investigating."
Greene said it's hard to prevent these types of explosions. Key signs of trouble include smelling a gas odor. Preventative steps include regular servicing of your gas appliances and having gas detectors in the home. He confirmed they are looking at the gas meter at the home, as well as a pool and hot tub heater outside of the bedroom, to see if that might have led to the explosion.
A similar incident killed a woman and seriously injured her husband when their Ballantyne home exploded in 2019. Investigators determined that the incident was caused by an internal gas leak.
"It's amazing," the neighbor said. "It's hard to believe that this happened. You see it on the news everywhere, things like this, but until it happens in your own neighborhood you never know."
Greene said it's a tight-knit community there, "so they took care of each other."
On Tuesday night, members of the community gathered at Superior Barber Styling Center in Newton to support the family as they grieve.
"I've just been leaning on my faith," Caleb Farley said during the gathering. "Staying with the principles my mother and my father raised me with. That's what's been keeping me going."
Caleb Farley said Tuesday has been a roller coaster of emotions, and he couldn't be more thankful for the community's love and support.
"It's been awesome to see everybody just hug on us," Caleb Farley said.
The Farley family will receive family and friends on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 2 p.m. at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Newton. Farley's funeral is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Dominion Energy issued the following statement:
Dominion Energy responded to an emergency on Barber Loop in Mooresville, where an explosion was reported at a customer's residence. We are investigating the explosion in coordination with emergency personnel. Our prayers and sympathy are with the individuals impacted by this difficult event.
MORE ON WCNC
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || Google Podcasts
Locked On is the leading podcast network for local sports and is owned by WCNC Charlotte's parent company TEGNA.
Listen to Locked On here.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.