A 69-year-old man was arrested after an explosion and fire at an illegal liquor distillery in Wilkes County, North Carolina, officials said.

The backstory: North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement special agents investigated the incident Monday, Oct. 26, after being contacted by the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office, the Wilkes County Fire Marshal's Office and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Dig deeper: The fire was caused by an active operation producing non-taxpaid liquor, according to ALE.