A structure fire that occurred early Saturday morning in rural Edinburg has taken the lives of a man and a woman, according to Hidalgo County Fire Marshal Homero Garza.
The victims, both in their early 20s, were a couple and will be identified later, Garza said, adding that the notification of next of kin is pending for the young woman. Though they were a couple, Garza said they weren’t married as far as they know.
Shortly after 3 a.m., Garza said the Edinburg Fire Department dispatched and arrived at the location at 3:11 a.m., while Hidalgo County Sheriff J.E. “Eddie” Guerra said via social media that deputies also dispatched around the same time.
Occurring south of Curry on Tower Road and east on Carricero, the fire’s cause is still undetermined according to Garza.
However, the fire marshal said some repairs were being made by the occupants on their own and that the area of origin was concentrated to an area where “a lot of electrical components were found.”
Additionally, Garza also said no foul play is suspected.
After Edinburg firefighters extinguished the fire, the sheriff wrote on his tweet that they located two bodies inside.
Garza explained further that one of the victims was found in a hallway, which was toward an exit, while the other victim was found near a window.
With no other information available, the blaze continues to be investigated by the fire marshal’s office.
Addressing the public, Garza recommended for individuals to have working smoke alarms in their homes. To those who have smoke alarms, Garza urged to change the batteries at least once a year.
