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MORGANTON, N.C. — A Morganton woman was killed on Thursday in an early morning fire caused by a heater, Burke County EMS confirmed.
At around 3 a.m., West End Fire Department responded to a fire, possibly with an occupant still inside at a home on Farris Loop.
The fire department arrived to find a single-story home on heavy fire. Firefighters began their search with assistance from other departments.
They were unable to rescue 54-year-old Mary Louis Mode due to the conditions on arrival. The fire was brought under control within minutes, but firefighters remained on the scene for more than five hours.
The Burke County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating, along with the Burke County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
[WATCH BELOW: Family escapes unharmed as Hickory lake home goes up in flames]
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