Careless smoking is being blamed for a residential fire that killed two occupants north of McGregor, Minn.
Also Friday, authorities identified the two victims from the March 31 blaze in Shamrock Township as Raymond Jackman, 80, and Sandra Lee Neumann, 69.
"There is suspicion of smoking and falling asleep on the couch," read a statement from the Aitkin County Sheriff's Office.
Preliminary autopsy results found that Jackman and Neumann, who alerted emergency personnel to the fire, died from smoke and soot inhalation.
Authorities did not specify which of the two whose smoking started the late-night blaze roughly 10 miles north of McGregor.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More From Star Tribune
More From Local
Minneapolis
Former MnDOT official approved as Minneapolis public works director
Timothy Sexton replaces Margaret Anderson Kelliher, who is serving as city operations officer.
Local
Jury selected for Feeding Our Future trial after unusually long process due to publicity of massive fraud case
More than 70 Minnesotans were questioned in an unusually long four-day process to select a jury for the first Feeding Our Future trial due to the high publicity in the massive case.
Politics
911 transcript gives more detail of Sen. Mitchell's alleged burglary
A caller now identified as Mitchell's stepmother told a dispatcher she "tripped over" a person who was on the floor next to her bed. That person was later identified as the DFL senator.
West Metro
Man shot by deputy in Montrose allegedly said during earlier clash he'd rather die than be arrested
Late last month during a prior standoff, he alluded that he would start shooting by referring to his Second Amendment rights, a court filing read.
Local
Falcon Heights, St. Anthony move toward renewing police partnership severed after killing of Philando Castile
The vote was unanimous in Falcon Heights, but not St. Anthony, where one council member expressed concern about cost, quality of service and culture.