Elderly woman dies during late night house fire

BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A Bladenboro woman was killed during a house fire late Wednesday night, according to Bladen County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Jim McVicker says Joyce Beard Dowless, 82, was found dead in her home located at 8511 NC Hwy 41 in Bladenboro.

Deputies say someone driving by saw flames coming from the house and stopped to get a neighbor to call 911 at approximately 11:45 p.m. Flames could reportedly be seen coming out a bedroom window.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Bladen County Fire Marshall and the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office.

We will release more details when they come available.