Local News

Raleigh Teen Dies In Greenville Apartment Fire

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GREENVILLE, N.C. — A cigarette left burning caused an apartment fire near East Carolina University that killed a young Raleigh woman on Tuesday.

The victims were identified as 24-year-old sophomore Owen Francis Carr IV of Fair Haven, Md., and 18-year-old Caroline Virginia Allen of Raleigh.

Carr rented the apartment in Wesley Commons North on Brownlea Drive. Allen lived at another residence, authorities said.

Allen's family will receive friends Thursday from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's St.,

828-4311.

A memorial service will be conducted Friday at 2 p.m. at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church, 2209 Fairview Rd. Raleigh.

Greenville firefighters say the small fire started on a sofa about 2 a.m. Tuesday.

Authorities said the fire was contained to a combined living room and kitchen near the front door.

Allen, an ECU freshman, attended Sanderson High School in Raleigh. Friends said her passion was to design clothing. She even created her own prom dress last spring.

"She grew up in the church that that I go to, Hayes Barton Methodist Church, and I had her in my Sunday school class, and she lives in my neighborhood, so I knew her that way, but the best way I knew her was that I taught her for two years," teacher Andy Fowler said.

The fire did not spread into any of the 23 other apartments in the building. The occupants of a downstairs apartment called 911 to report the fire, according to emergency records.

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