Two men were killed and another hospitalized early this morning in a house fire 2.5 kilometres east of Bonnyville.
Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority (BRFA) received a 911 call at 2:03 a.m. on Nov. 15 and responded with 18 firefighters from Bonnyville and 11 from Fort Kent and Ardmore attending.
According to BRFA chief Brian McEvoy, "When we arrived on scene, there was an occupant attempting to pull one of the other occupants through an upstairs window. Our crews rescued the two from the roof of the addition."
A third occupant was located inside the burning building and removed, and all three were transported to the Bonnyville Healthcare Centre by Bonnyville Municipal Ambulance.
Two of the males were pronounced dead.
According to a press release by Bonnyville RCMP, police were dispatched to the residence and when they arrived, the residence was fully engulfed in flames and fire rescue and EMS were already on scene, attempting to put out the flames and assist the occupants.
Names of the occupants have not been released pending notification of next of kin, but all three have been identified as males in their early 20s from Ontario, according to police.
"The investigation has determined that the fire originated in a couch," McEvoy said, adding there is extensive fire damage to the front room and dining room, as well as heat and smoke damage to the rest of the house.
