Tempe, AZ – The fire that destroyed a Tempe residence in which firefighters found two women dead was not accidental according to experts.
According to the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue, crews responded shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 11 to the 1600 block of W. Geneva. On arrival, crews found the home fully engulfed with fire. After the fire was extinguished, two adult female victims were found deceased inside the residence.
Tempe Fire Medical Rescue fire investigators began to look for the cause of the fire as soon as it was possible. As part of the investigation, they requested the assistance of a Gilbert Fire and Rescue K-9 that is specially trained to detect fire accelerants to help them determine the cause of the fire. The K-9 positively detected accelerants in the home and investigators can confirm that the cause of fire was not accidental.
Neighbors in the area reported sounds of an explosion shortly before the fire. Officials were able to rule out natural gas as a cause of the explosion early into the investigation. The explosion that was heard by neighbors was a result of an ignition source that came in contact with vapors from an accelerant. The type of accelerant is unknown. Items collected from the scene have been sent to a lab for testing.
The cause of death has yet to be determined by the Office of the Medical Examiner. The investigation is ongoing, and the identities of the deceased are unknown.