City employee, husband die in house fire

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
A trusted and devoted City of Hartselle employee and her disabled husband died in a fire of unknown origin that destroyed their doublewide manufactured home in the Neel community early Sunday morning.
The victims were Charlie M. “Mike” Conley, 59, and Nora Kay Conley, 52.
Nora Conley was widely known as the nice lady who was in charge of planning and coordinating programs and activities for the Parks and Recreation Department. She worked at Sparkman Civic Center for more than 25 years and served as programs coordinator for about 20 years. She also had responsibility for managing the department’s books and records. Her husband was a disabled Vietnam War veteran.
“Kay was a valued employee and a fine person,” said Frank Miller, Parks and Recreation director. “You name it and she did it. I don’t know what we’re going to do without her. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. “
The victims’ bodies were found in a bathroom after the fire was extinguished, according to Punkin Center Fire Chief Stanley Linderman. One of their two dogs was also found in the charred remains of the house.
Linderman said their deaths were probably the result of smoke inhalation. However, on a call made by Morgan County Sheriff Greg Bartlett, their bodies were taken to the State Forensics Lab in Huntsville where autopsies were performed to determine the cause of death. Preliminary results were expected back on Wednesday.
Firefighters from Punkin Center and Neel Fire Departments responded to the Conley residence at 1208 Iron Man Road at 6:17 a.m. Sunday morning. Oak Ridge Fire Department was called in for backup.
Linderman said the first firefighters to arrive on the scene found the frame house fully involved in flames, ruling out entry to conduct a search and rescue operation.
A passerby reported the fire to 911 and made an attempt to alert the occupants of the house by knocking on the front door and hollering,” Linderman said.
Firefighters fought the blaze for more than hour, using three engine companies.
A state fire marshal was on the scene conducting an investigation until about 5 p.m. Sunday Linderman said.
The investigation is continuing.
Linderman said the area recorded its last fire-related death three years ago in a house fire on Neel School Road.