Two homes burn, 1 dies in Verona

Two homes burned Tuesday morning in the Belair subdivision in Verona, claiming the life of a 45-year-old man, Virginia State Police said.

The home at 34 Midvale Drive caught fire at about 8 a.m., trapping and killing Troy Stephens. The home at 28 Midvale Drive, just feet away, also burned.

Authorities with Augusta County Fire and Rescue and the state police said an electrical malfunction likely started the first fire, which spread via wiring between the homes.

The fires remain under investigation.

Lt. Joe Rader with the state police said the mother of Stephens initially reported the man’s age as 55.