Fire crews were dispatched at 1:37 a.m. to a home along Willow Tower Court and arrived about four minutes later to find flames coming through the roof and the rear of the home.
Officials said the roof later collapsed in the back portion of the house. About 30 firefighters from multiple agencies, including Rolesville and Wake Forest, responded to the scene.
The fire was brought under control in about an hour. Fire crews found the woman on the second floor.
"She was located toward the back of the house," said Rolesville Fire Chief Jason Dietch. "And the house is completely gutted, almost the second story is caved in to the first story."
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The victim, who owned the home, was believed to be in her 50s. Her identity has not been released.
"It's a tragedy, honestly," said Nathan Lebond, a neighbor. "It's one of the worst ways that I could ever imagine anything happening."
The house sustained extensive damage, with the interior largely gutted by the fire.
Investigators with the fire marshal's office and state agencies are working to determine what caused the fire.
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