AHOSKIE – While the investigation continues into Wednesday morning’s double fatal fire near here on Modlin Road, Hertford County Sheriff Dexter Hayes is confident that no foul play was involved.

Hayes said that the autopsy showed the deaths of Thomas A. Lewis, age 81, and his 76-year-old wife, Peggy, were attributed to smoke inhalation.

“With the results of the autopsy, we have ruled out foul play in this case,” Hayes said.

He added that due to the large amount of damage to the residence, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The SBI assisted the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office with the fire investigation.

The residential fire in the 200 block of West Modlin Road in the Union community was discovered shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday by a Hertford County Sheriff’s Deputy on routine patrol. The residence was fully engulfed in fire at that time.

Members of the Union, Ahoskie Station 2, Winton and St. John volunteer fire departments battled the blaze throughout the night.

Chris Smith, Assistant Chief of the Union Volunteer Fire Department, said it was daybreak before a team could be sent in to recover the bodies.