Sabates House Burns UPDATE: A $2 million home under construction in southeast Charlotte burned down early Wednesday morning, one month before a prominent local businessman was to move in. Flames broke out at the home at 7414 Baltusrol Lane around 5 a.m. The 10,000 square feet home is owned by racing team {part owner of Chip Ganassi Racing with Flex Sabates #40 and #41 cars] owner Felix Sabates, who also owns a part of the Charlotte Checkers hockey team. It took nearly three dozen firefighters about 90 minutes to contain the blaze, but not before the roof caved in, according to Charlotte Fire Captain Rob Brisley. No one was injured in the fire. Sabates says this was going to be his family’s ” last house,” so he’s upset about ehf fire, but glad no one was hurt. He says he spent a year-and-a-half building the home. Around 5 a.m., a neighbor told police he woke up to the sound of a ringing doorbell. When he answered the door, he found a man, who told him that the house next door was on fire and to call 911. The neighbor never saw the guy again, and authorities have no idea who he was, or what he was doing in the neighborhood at that hour. Arson investigators are now on the scene, looking for a cause of the fire and talking with construction crews who were building the house.(nbc6.com)(7-31-2002) UPDATE: A fire that destroyed a $2.5 million home being built for NASCAR team co-owner Felix Sabates was intentionally set and may be connected to other unsolved arson cases, fire officials said. The home was engulfed in flames just after 5:00am/et Wednesday. The house was about 30 days from completion and unoccupied at the time. On Thursday, Charlotte Chief Fire Investigator David Lowery said accidental ignition sources had been eliminated. He said the front door of the home was open and a padlock had been removed, but declined to reveal other evidence suggesting arson. “I don’t know what to think,” Sabates said after hearing the fire was intentionally set. “Hopefully, it’s a random thing. I don’t know of anyone who would want to hurt me or my wife.” The Charlotte (N.C.) Fire Investigation Task Force is investigating whether the blaze is connected to other intentionally set fires at vacant or partially built homes in the surrounding area. Lowery said investigators are looking closely at three or four unsolved fires set at unfinished homes in southeast Charlotte last year. Lowery said Wednesday’s fire was started inside the 10,000-square-foot house and spread through the attic and roof before being noticed. Flames were shooting through the roof when firefighters arrived. Residents reported seeing a man who doesn’t live in the neighborhood about the time of the fire, but fire officials had no description of him. Lowery said investigators are interviewing contractors, subcontractors and laborers who worked on Sabates’ house and others nearby. He also said nothing outside the house indicates that it belongs to Sabates, so it is unlikely the person who set the fire knew who owned it. Sabates said he was at the house near Quail Hollow Country Club the night before the fire to look at wallpaper recently hung in his home office. He said he secured the front door with a padlock when he left. The padlock was gone when firefighters arrived, but its key was still in its hiding spot, an electrical box on the front porch. Sabates said anyone who required access to the house knew where to find the key. He and Chip Ganassi own a Winston Cup racing team that fields cars for Sterling Marlin and Jimmy Spencer. Sabates is also part owner of the Checkers, Charlotte’s minor-league hockey team. He was an original investor in the Hornets. At a news conference Thursday afternoon, police and fire officials announced a $10,000 reward offered by the N.C. Arson Awareness Council for information leading to an arrest. They said anyone who might have information should call Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600. Fire officials estimate the fire caused $1.6 million in damage to the house in 7400 block of Baltusrol Lane. Sabates said he plans to rebuild – hopefully in time for the Wachovia Championship, a PGA Tour event scheduled at the country club in mid-May. “I have a perfect view,” he said.(Charlotte Observer)(8-2-2002) (8-1-2002)
