Blazebusters Battle a Burner at a Carolina Anchor's Home

It is the kind of early morning wakeup call that every television journalist dreads, but for one North Carolina anchor, the emergency was unfolding under his own roof.

An early morning fire broke out today at the home of WECT Morning Anchor Bill Murray. For a guy who spends his mornings waking up the Cape Fear region on the local NBC affiliate, the early hours are usually defined by scripts, coffee, and studio lights. Instead, this morning was interrupted by flashing sirens and emergency crews responding to his Wilmington residence.

Details on the exact cause of the blaze and the extent of the damage are still developing, but the news has sent shockwaves through the close-knit station and the broader Wilmington media market. Representatives at the Gray Television-owned station have not yet released an official statement regarding his status, but colleagues are already rallying behind the longtime morning fixture.

Murray’s mother lived with him in the home, she was taken to the hospital, but appears to be fine.