Fire claims Kenly woman's life
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on October 31, 2006 1:46 PM
KENLY -- A house fire in rural Johnston County took the life of a 77-year-old woman early Monday morning.
Lorraine Speite Jones died in the blaze while trying to escape.
Three other family members were able to get out of the burning structure but were unable to battle the heat and flames to get back to rescue her.
Johnston County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tammy Amaon said the call came in to the Sheriff's Office from the fire department at 3:30 a.m. The road is located in northern Johnston County, near the Wilson County line.
Mrs. Jones' son, Reginald Jones, lived there with his sister and his parents. He told the investigator he woke up hearing his father call out for help. He said his mother was asleep, and he awakened her and was helping her to the front door. But the door hit them both and knocked them down. He said he was unable to get his mother out of the house in time to save her.
Investigators do not know how the fire started. Jones told investigators that no one in the household smoked, and that the heat source was electrical.