Fire ravaged through a well-known Morganton body shop lot on Tuesday night destroying some 50 cars.

About 12 minutes before the new year was ushered in, fire crews from four departments were called to Morrison’s Body Shop at 723 East Meeting Street.

Reports say the burned cars were scheduled to go to a salvage yard.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation; however, business owners suspect the blaze started as area homeless people were trying to keep warm.

Firefighters from Morganton Public Safety with assistance from Salem, Triple Community, and Lake James fire departments remained on the fire scene for more than eight hours.

There were no injuries.

A Pete Brittain Road resident reported being shot in the ankle while inside his home as the new year came in.

A news release from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office states the individual was shot as he lay in his bed around midnight Tuesday.

Reports say the trajectory indicated the bullet entered a wall at the residence.

Several neighbors reported hearing the shot, but the shooter hasn’t been identified.

The initial investigation reveals no motivation for the shot to have been intentional.

The release states the victim did not sustain life-threatening injuries.

The Burke County Sheriff’s Office encourages firearm safety – anyone shooting a firearm should act responsibly and safely, and to be certain of where the bullet will be traveling.

Anyone having information about the incident should call the Burke Sheriff’s Office at 438-5500.

A Marion man is found with a trafficking amount of pain pills.

56-year-old Perry Todd Conner of Greasy Creek Road is charged by McDowell officers with trafficking in opium or heroin.

Reports say on December 13^th, authorities with the McDowell Sheriff’s Office, Marion Police, and the NC SBI along with assistance in the case by the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office searched Conner’s home after receiving information he was distributing pills.

The search turned up 44 Roxicodone pills, other pain meds, and 18 firearms.