POWELLSVILLE – A home fire turned deadly here Monday morning.

A house on U.S. 13 approximately two miles south of Powellsville was completely destroyed by fire Monday with one person killed in the blaze.

According to Bertie County Sheriff John Holley, the 9-1-1 operator was called at approximately 8:38 a.m. to report the blaze.

“When we arrived, the house was fully involved,” said Powellsville Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Ralph Brinkley. “There was fire already coming out of all of the windows.”

After the blaze was brought under control, firefighters found a body inside the home.

Sheriff Holley said the body was being sent for an autopsy to confirm the identity, but he believed it to be the resident of the home. No names will be released until the identity is confirmed.

Sheriff Holley said an investigation began as soon as the fire department extinguished the blaze and got it cooled off. He said he does not suspect foul play, but his department will conduct a thorough investigation.

Brinkley said the Powellsville Fire Department arrived shortly after receiving the call and was on the scene until 12:30 p.m. The department took all five of its trucks to the scene and approximately a dozen firefighters.

They were aided by the Askewville Fire Department as part of Bertie County’s automatic mutual aide agreement. The AFD had one tanker and approximately eight men who arrived to give assistance.

Sheriff Holley said the investigation would likely take a week or longer.