(DEFIANCE) - Two sisters were found dead Tuesday morning after a house fire tore through a residence in Defiance, authorities said. Firefighters with the Defiance Fire Department recovered the bodies after the blaze was brought under control at a home in the 200 block of Ruth Ann Drive.
The Defiance County Coroner's Office identified the victims Wednesday as Peggy Sparkman and Priscilla Bell. Officials said both women were in their 60s.
The fire was reported around 4:15 a.m., with crews arriving to find the house fully engulfed in flames. Fire officials said the structure was unstable, preventing firefighters from entering until the fire was extinguished. As conditions worsened, the operation shifted from a rescue effort to a recovery around 8 a.m.
Authorities said the sisters lived in the home with their 58-year-old brother, who was sleeping in the basement at the time of the fire. He told officials he became aware of the fire after hearing a smoke alarm and dogs barking. Due to heavy smoke, he was unable to reach the second floor, where his sisters were sleeping.
Once the fire was knocked down, firefighters found both women deceased in their bedrooms. Investigators said the cause of the fire remains undetermined, but there were no signs of foul play.