Two people died following a house fire in Peterborough’s south end early Saturday, police say.
Peterborough Police Service on Saturday afternoon confirmed to Global News Peterborough that there were two fatalities from a fire at the home on Gillespie Avenue.
As of Saturday at 6:30 p.m., the victims have yet to be identified.
On Sunday morning, police said the victims were a 69-year-old woman and a 65-year-old man. No names have been released.
Peterborough Fire Services was called to the scene around 2 a.m. Firefighters were met with heavy smoke and flames on arrival to the scene. Firefighters spent several hours battling the blaze in frigid temperatures.
At least three vehicles were also heavily damaged and neighbouring houses also sustained damage.
The Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal was called to assist in firefighters and police with the investigation.
Lonnie Schubert, OFM acting scene manager, says the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
“We’re working with Peterborough Fire Services and the Peterborough police to determine where this fire started and also the cause of the fire — how it started,” Schubert told Global News Peterborough on Saturday afternoon.
“Our folks will be looking through the debris, to find whatever they can — look for smoke alarms, an ignition source of the fire, and hopefully determine how and why the fire started.”
Gillespie Ave. was closed between Monaghan Road and Erksine Ave. and reopened just before 7 p.m. Saturday, police said.
— More to come.