A family of four was found dead following an explosion which engulfed their Ohio home in flames, officials said early Tuesday.
The Northfield Center Fire Department said crews were dispatched to the home, about 30 minutes outside Cleveland, following a report of an explosion at around 9 p.m. ET.
Responders arrived to find the home “completely engulfed in flames” and it took almost a half-hour to bring the blaze under control, Fire Chief Frank Risko told NBC News.
He said a total of four family members were found dead inside: a man, a woman, and their two daughters. The girls were 8 and 12 years old, he added.
State fire marshals are investigating what caused the explosion and are working with the local gas company to determine if gas was a factor, Risko said.
Officials did not identify the victims, but the local school district sent a message to families saying it had been affected by the "horrible tragedy."
Nordonia Schools Superintendent Joe Clark said a 2nd-grader at Northfield Elementary School had died in the fire along with her parents and sister.
"We are all deeply saddened by this loss and our deepest sympathies go out to those friends, relatives, and classmates they left behind," he said in a statement. "It breaks my heart to share this news."