ROCKWELL — A 69-year-old man and 72-year-old woman were killed in a Sunday fire in rural southern Rowan County.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said the bodies of Larry Chester Brown and Brenda Basinger were recovered Sunday afternoon after a fire destroyed a home on Double Thumb Road near Rockwell.

Rockwell Rural Fire Chief Alan Shinn said firefighters were dispatched at about 11:30 a.m. They found a “fully-involved” fire upon arrival.

The Sheriff’s Office said the first body was located around 1:20 p.m. The second was found at about 1:50 p.m.

Rockwell Rural worked to extinguish the fire with a number of other departments from Rowan and nearby counties. It’s not clear what caused the blaze.

Family members told the Sheriff’s Office both Brown and Basinger used oxygen tanks to assist with breathing.