AULANDER – An early morning house fire near here Tuesday has claimed the lives of a Bertie County couple.

According to a local funeral home, “LuAnn Perry Ambrose, age 60, and Kenneth Ray Ambrose, age 58, both died tragically on March 28, 2017.”

Bertie Sheriff John Holley said his office received a call of a fire at 1831 Charles Taylor Road at approximately 2 a.m. Tuesday. Upon arrival, deputies found the house completely engulfed in flames.

According to Bertie County Emergency Services Director Mitch Cooper, units from the Lewiston, Aulander, and Windsor Fire Departments were called out to extinguish the blaze.

Holley says he requested assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for more thorough findings on the inferno.

“We just want to make sure we leave no stone unturned,” said Holley. “If they don’t find anything suspicious, fine; if not, we’ve learned more in the investigation.”

Holley said his office would release more information on Thursday.