On May 18, 2023, a fire broke out at a construction site in SouthPark that took the lives of two construction workers, Demonte Sherrill and Reuben Holmes.
Experts investigating the incident determined that fire safety protocols were not correctly implemented and followed on-site, leaving many to wonder: Could Sherrill’s and Holmes’s deaths been prevented?
Charlotte TV station WBTV obtained videos, pictures, interviews and records from the Charlotte Fire Department’s file, and released a special report called “WBTV Investigates: Fire and Failure” in September that digs into the May 18th fire and the days that followed.
The Ledger’s Tony Mecia sat down with David Hodges, an investigative reporter with WBTV, to learn more about WBTV discovered and what went into the reporting process. Hodges also discusses:
The importance of investigative reporting.
David and his team's work in examining the factors contributing to this tragedy.
The challenges of investigative reporting.
Hodges’s career as an investigative broadcast reporter.
His take on the media market in Charlotte.
What feedback WBTV has received on its special report.
We hope you enjoy the conversation with David Hodges.
The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is produced by Lindsey Banks.
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Understanding the deadly SouthPark construction fire, with WBTV investigative reporter David Hodges