A homeless man was burned in an accidental fire Monday morning near a Morganton restaurant.

A news release from Morganton Public Safety says the man identified as Bennett Deaton was transported by Burke EMS to an area hospital shortly before 5 o’clock.

Reports say he was treated for burns to his arm, hand, and side of his face.

While sleeping underneath a bridge near McDonald’s on West Union Street, reports say Deaton kicked over a kerosene heater he was using to keep warm.

The heater reportedly ignited the area under the bridge that was extinguished by fire personnel from public safety.

The release states Deaton’s dog, a brown and white pit bull mix that answers to the name ‘DJ’ ran from the scene and has not yet been located.

Officials say if you should locate the dog, do not try to approach it but call Morganton Public Safety at 437-1211.

The incident remains under investigation.

Winter is notoriously a difficult time to collect enough blood and platelet donations to meet patient needs.

American Red Cross officials report this year is no exception.

Right now, the Red Cross has a critical type-O blood shortage and urgently needs donors of all blood types – especially types O negative and O positive.

Officials say influenza has escalated across the country preventing some donors from giving; while winter weather continues to cancel some blood drives.

Currently the Red Cross reports it has less than a 3-day supply of type O blood available for patient emergencies and medical treatments.

While just 7-percent of the US population has type O negative blood, it can be transfused to patients with any blood type and is what hospital staff typically reach for in emergencies when there isn’t time to determine a patient’s blood type.

Upcoming donation opportunities this week include –

Today  -  10 am until 2:30 pm at McDowell Tech in Marion

Friday  -   Noon to 5 pm at Deer Park Health and Rehab in Nebo

And Saturday  -   Noon to 4:30 pm at the Walmart in Marion on Sugar Hill Road.

A blood donor card, driver’s license or two other forms of ID are required at check-in.

Authorities in two nearby counties are asking for the public’s help in locating missing teenagers.

In Lincoln County a 16-year-old girl went missing from her home Friday.

Kylie Felice Almstead was last seen at her home on Asbury Church Road.

She is a white female with brown hair and green eyes, stands 4 feet 11 and weighs about 125 pounds, and has several ear and nose piercings.

Kylie may be wearing gray sweatpants, a hoodie and black and white shoes.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts should call the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 704-732-9050.

And in another case –

Forest City Police report 14-year-old David Siemon was last seen Friday at his home on Arlington Street.

Reports say Siemon is a diabetic and is dependent on insulin.

He is described as a white male, 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 130 pounds, has short straight brown hair and hazel eyes.

He may be wearing a black hoodie and black jeans.

Siemon’s mother reports he may have a firearm.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to call the Rutherford County Communications Center at 828-286-2911.