Two Men Killed In Christmas Day Fire

A house fire that killed two men early Thursday was caused by sparks from a fireplace that broke apart, investigators said.

The house had smoke detectors, but the batteries were not connected, King County Fire Marshal Scott LaVielle said.

Firefighters in this suburb south of Seattle arrived about 4 a.m. to find the basement in flames. They extinguished the blaze in about 30 minutes.

Firefighters found the bodies of two men, believed to be in their mid-30s, on the first floor of the one-story residence. They were not immediately identified.

One man who apparently had tried to escape was found near the front door, LaVielle said. Medics tried to revive him for about 30 minutes without success, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other victim was found dead in the middle of the living room floor, LaVielle said.