Norfork woman dies in late-night house fire

A Norfork woman died late Sunday night after a structure fire engulfed her residence on Saddletree Lane, according to the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office.

Emergency dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call at approximately 11:40 on Monday night, reporting a structure fire with possible entrapment at 462 Saddletree Lane. The caller, told dispatchers her daughter, 38-year-old Diamond Lowe, was believed to be inside the home.

Deputies arrived on scene at approximately 11:48 and reported the structure was nearly fully engulfed in flames upon arrival. The caller told officers she first noticed the fire after hearing a “popping” sound while sitting on her porch. Upon investigation, she saw flames at the front of her daughter’s residence.

The woman said she attempted to reach her daughter by going through her own home and out the back door to Lowe’s residence. Upon opening the side door near the carport, she was met with heavy black smoke and received no response from her daughter or her dogs. She last spoke to Lowe around 7:30 that evening.

Volunteer firefighters and fire departments from Norfork, Salesville, and Tracy Ferry responded and worked to suppress the fire. Firefighters were initially unable to enter the home due to the extent of the flames and had to wait for water support to arrive.

At approximately 12:48 Tuesday morning, an investigator with the Baxter County Criminal Investigation Division arrived and took over the scene. Lowe’s body was later discovered in the master bathroom of the residence by investigators and fire personnel.

The Deputy Chief Coroner was notified and responded to the scene. The victim was officially pronounced deceased, and her remains were turned over to the coroner and CID for further investigation.

The victim’s husband, was notified upon arriving at the scene. He informed authorities that he last spoke with his wife around 10:30 the night of the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.