By Michael Bushnell

Northeast News

A man and a woman died in an overnight house fire near 9th and Belmont in the Sheffield neighborhood.

The fire broke out at approximately 3:45 this morning and was quickly elevated to two alarms. Firefighters extinguished the flames at about 4:30 a.m. Two additional individuals escaped the fire, and were interviewed by authorities at the scene.

“It was a severe burn,” said Deputy Fire Chief James Garrett. “It was an intense burn.”

Garrett indicated that Bomb and Arson investigators are expected to determine the cause of the fire within the next several hours, though he noted that any details will be subject to a 72-hour hold. Garrett did acknowledge that two individuals were deceased as a result of the blaze, adding that no one else was injured.