SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In a devastating incident, the lifeless bodies of two individuals were discovered on Saturday in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Local authorities have described the residence as an “extremely hot” house, raising concerns about the potential cause of this tragedy.

The Spartanburg Police Department received a distress call around 6 p.m. on Saturday, prompting officers to conduct a welfare check at the residence. Family members had expressed their worries, leading to the investigation.

Upon gaining access to the house, the police and EMS teams discovered the deceased. The victims have been identified as 84-year-old Joan Littlejohn and 82-year-old Glennwood Fowler.

According to a police report, the temperature inside the home exceeded 120 degrees, indicating an alarming level of heat. Firefighters who arrived at the scene found the furnace in the basement emitting an “extremely” high level of heat, reaching temperatures as high as 800 to 1,000 degrees.

Although firefighters tested for carbon monoxide, no unusual levels were detected in the house.

According to the victims’ family, they had been attempting to fix a pilot light on the hot water heater due to the home’s heating system and hot water heater being out of order, causing the residence to become uncomfortably cold. Once the pilot light was successfully reignited, they left the premises, unaware of the impending danger.

Although carbon monoxide was not initially detected in the house, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger has expressed concerns about the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning. Testing will be conducted on the victims’ bodies to determine if carbon monoxide was present.

To further investigate the cause of this tragic incident, Clevenger has enlisted the assistance of a specialist to inspect the furnace. The hope is that this evaluation will shed light on any malfunctions or issues with the heater that could have resulted in the excessively high temperatures inside the house.

The process of determining the exact cause of death may take several weeks, according to Clevenger, as thorough examinations and tests need to be conducted.