One dead after fire in rural Rowan

Published 12:10 am Sunday, October 9, 2016

MOORESVILLE — A woman died Friday following a three-alarm fire near the Rowan-Iredell border.

The fire started shortly after 6 p.m. and consumed a large portion of the house. Only one person was in the house at the time, said Rowan County Fire Marshal Deborah Horne.

A firefighter from the Atwell Fire Department reportedly spotted the blaze when working a call about downed power lines several hundred yards away. Horne was unable to say whether the fire was related to the downed power lines. There were no power lines down on the house, and Horne said the cause of the incident is still under investigation.

While the house was on fire, Horne said firefighters entered through a back door and pulled the woman out. Because of her condition, Rowan County EMS attempted CPR and tried to resuscitate the woman. They were unsuccessful.

Horne said she was unable to provide a cause of death or the name of the person who died following the fire. The Atwell Fire Department also wasn’t able to provide the name of the woman who died.

Horne said firefighters were able to save a portion of the house.

Two people lived in the house. Horne said the other was not home at the time of the blaze.

Emergency personnel from a number of agencies responded to the fire.