Fatal Tempe Fire Not Accidental: Investigators

TEMPE, AZ — A Tempe fire that left two women dead was not accidental, according to investigators.

The identities of the women who died in the fire early Monday morning at a home in the 1600 block of West Geneva Drive have not been released.

A specially trained Gilbert Fire and Rescue K-9 detected accelerants at the scene and investigators determined that the fire was not accidental, the city said.

Neighbors told investigators they heard an explosion shortly before the fire started. Investigators believe the explosion was a result of "an ignition source that came in contact with vapors from an accelerant." Investigators have not determined the specific type of accelerant used, but objects collected from the scene were sent to a lab for testing, officials said.

When firefighters arrived on scene at around 1:30 a.m. Monday, the home was fully engulfed in flames, according to a news release from the city of Tempe.

The bodies of the two women were found after the fire was extinguished.