Father of NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin dies in house fire

STANLY, N.C. (CBS, KYMA) - The father of a NASCAR driver was killed Sunday night after a large fire broke out at a house in Gaston County, according to officials.

Dennis Hamlin, the father of NASCAR star driver Denny Hamlin, was killed in a house fire on Blacksnake Road Sunday.

Denny Hamlin's mother, Mary Lou Hamlin also suffered catastrophic injuries when she escaped the home.

Gaston County emergency officials said they responded around 6:20 p.m. Eastern to a two-story home that was fully engulfed in flames, with flames visible throughout the entire attic.

When firefighters arrived at the house, the two residents, Dennis and Mary Lou Hamlin, were outside suffering from catastrophic injuries while escaping the home.

Both were taken to a hospital, where Dennis Hamlin later died. Mary Lou Hamlin was taken to a burn center in Winston-Salem, where she is being treated.

Officials said that due to the extent of the fire and structural collapse, the cause of the fire is unknown and is under investigation.