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Six days after a woman died in a Wake County house fire, investigators have classified the cause of the blaze as undetermined and identified its area of origin as a second-floor bedroom.
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The fire broke out early Aug. 5 at a home on Willow Tower Court in Rolesville, about 15 miles northeast of downtown Raleigh. Firefighters found heavy flames coming from the upper part and rear of the house and the second story partially collapsed, according to the Rolesville Fire Department. Wake County Fire Investigator Brian Lane told The News & Observer on Tuesday that investigators considered several possible ignition sources but could not determine what started the fire. He said there is no criminal investigation at this point.
The woman who died was Amy Baird Kamm, 51, a former Duke nurse who later became the lead singer of the Raleigh Americana band New Reveille.
New Reveille released “The Keep” in 2018 and toured nationally, bringing Kamm from Raleigh stages to performances around the country.
“We are heartbroken by the sudden and tragic loss of Amy Kamm,” former band members Autumn Brand, Daniel Cook, Kaitlin Grady and George Hage said in a statement to The News & Observer. “She was a natural performer whose voice carried rare emotional depth.”
“Beyond her God-given gift for music, Amy brought a contagious laugh, a sharp mind, and a fun, quirky energy that made every rehearsal and performance brighter.”
Kamm graduated from T.C. Roberson High School in Asheville in 1992 and studied at Appalachian State University before transferring to UNC Greensboro, where her family said she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
She later worked at Duke Hospital in Durham and Duke Raleigh Hospital. Kamm had lived in Wake County for years, including in Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina, before moving to Rolesville.
Her path into music came later. After her sister Shannon died in 2009, Kamm’s husband, Jeremy, encouraged her to audition for their church band, according to her obituary. She began singing with other groups and eventually became New Reveille’s lead singer.
New Reveille wound down around the start of the pandemic, the former members said. Now, Brand and Cook play in The One Eighties, and Hage plays in Jack the Radio. Brand said the bandmates had not spoken with Kamm in several years.
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In addition to her husband, Kamm is survived by three adult children: Abigail, 23; Benjamin, 21; and Eli, 19.
“My love for you has no bounds. I carry the comfort of knowing you are now safe in the arms of our Heavenly Father,” her daughter, Abigail, wrote in an Instagram tribute. “Missing you forever and always.”
A GoFundMe co-organized by Jeremy Kamm had raised about $1,700 for the family as of Monday evening.
Family members contacted by The N&O did not respond to requests for comment.
Lane said investigators’ timeline begins around 12:30 a.m., based on photographs or video provided by neighbors. Rolesville firefighters were dispatched to the Willow Tower Court home around 1:37 a.m. and arrived about four minutes later to find heavy fire coming from the house, according to the town. Investigators identified the area of origin as a second-floor bedroom. Kamm was found on the first floor after the fire was contained.
The Wake County Fire Marshal’s Office is leading the investigation. The Rolesville Police Department, N.C. Office of State Fire Marshal, State Bureau of Investigation and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have provided assistance.
Officials said the involvement of state and federal investigators is routine in fatal fires. ATF said one of its certified fire investigators was providing technical assistance, while the state fire marshal’s office said its investigators examined and digitally documented the scene.
A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 14, at Seven Marks Church in Raleigh, with visitation beginning at 9 a.m.
“We want everyone to know that she wasn’t just a ‘50-year-old woman who lived alone,’ but that she was a talented force beyond words in this world,” Brand wrote to The N&O.
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This story was originally published August 11, 2026 at 5:30 AM.