Panthers coach Ron Rivera and his family are fine after a fire spread throughout their Charlotte-area home early Monday morning, the team confirmed.
A Charlotte Fire Department spokesman said Monday, per The Associated Press, that the blaze started around 4 a.m. ET. Significant smoke damage could be seen in the attic and roof.
Early indications are that the fire was accidental, per CFD Captain Rob Brisley. It took about an hour for the fire to be extinguished, per The AP.
"You are looking at a large house with damage to the roof and attic area," Brisley said. "Anytime you are faced with a fire and your family is displaced it is significant for the homeowner and it is significant for the family. We are just grateful that there are no injuries."
The Charlotte Observer's Joe Person spoke to Rivera briefly Monday morning. "You know what they say, we're rebuilding," Rivera said.
This has been a scary month for the Panthers and comes on the heels of a major car accident that quarterback Cam Newton luckily escaped with just two small fractures in his back.
The team heads to Seattle this Saturday to continue an unlikely playoff run, but the Panthers certainly will have more than football on their minds.
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