Authorities in Etowah, Tennessee, are investigating a house fire Monday in the 300 block of Louisiana Avenue that claimed two lives, according to the Etowah Fire Department.
The fire broke out sometime very early Monday morning, and authorities were told the occupants of the home might still be inside, said a statement posted on the Etowah Fire Department Facebook page. The residence is on the north end of Louisiana Avenue near Third Street.
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Firefighters arrived to find the house fully enveloped with parts of the structure collapsing, according to the statement. The fire was extinguished after a lengthy battle, and fire crews located the bodies of two people inside the home.
While Etowah emergency crews were responding, mutual aid was requested from Etowah Rural Fire Department and Englewood Fire Department, according to Etowah officials.
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The Etowah Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are working together on the investigation, city officials said in the statement. There was no mention of any suspicions of foul play.
TBI spokesman Josh DeVine said Tuesday by phone the state agency is taking an assisting role in the probe and is not leading the investigation. Etowah police officials deferred comment to the TBI when contacted Tuesday by phone.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.