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Senior Pastor Bill Wilson of The Lord's Table Church identified the four people who died as Mark Hill, 21; Terry Holland, 49; Charles Kirkland Jr. and Lisa Simmons, all of them residents of Wayne County.
The lone survivor, whose name hasn't been released, had burns on 20 percent of his body and was listed in fair condition Sunday at the North Carolina Jaycees Burn Center at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. Wilson said the survivor was Holland's nephew.
The whole church gathered for a prayer meeting Saturday when it learned so many of its members had died, the pastor said.
“I've never dreaded coming to church here in 11 years. This Sunday, I told my wife as we drove to church, this was the first time in 11 years I dreaded going to church,” Wilson said.
Holland, who had previously organized fireworks teams, was hired by Melrose South Pyrotechnics to lead a crew to do the village of Ocracoke Island's fireworks display, said Charles Kirkland Sr. He recruited church members for his crew, hoping to help them earn some extra money.
Among those Holland recruited was Simmons, who was his girlfriend, Wilson said. Simmons volunteered in the church nursery.
Hill had recently joined the church. Family said he had looked forward to fishing during a free weekend on the Outer Banks.
Kirkland, an electrician who went by "Kirk," left behind three children and a grandchild. He had moved from Maine six months ago and was looking for work.
“He took this job so he could try to make some money, so he wouldn't have to depend on mom and daddy,” his sister, Lynne Smith, said.
Charles Kirkland Sr. said his son was a bit of a rebel who hadn't always had a good relationship with his family, but he had come home recently to make amends.
"That relationship has become exactly what it needed to be. The (last) six months has been a healing process for this whole family," Charles Kirkland Sr. said.
Holland was the church's building and maintenance supervisor.
"Terry was my baby. Terry was my heart. He was more than just an employee," Wilson said.
"I lost a brother not too long ago. I lost a sister. But when I lost Terry, it hurt even worse."
