A Gastonia family was almost killed in an overnight arson fire that destroyed their home.
"I could have died," a man who was inside the home said. "My daddy could have died."
A man who did not want to be identified says he woke up to the smell of smoke only to realize his home was engulfed in flames.
"My daddy's girlfriend woke me up," he said. "The house was full of smoke. Instantly, it's like a smoke mask went across my face. I couldn't breathe."
He escaped uninjured along with his father and his father's girlfriend. Gastonia police say this was arson.
"I was getting weaker going to the door," the man said, describing his escape. "I couldn't get the door open, so I hurried up and kicked the door open."
He says he knows who tried to kill his family He believes it is someone who had previously made threats against his father.