Authorities: 2 children killed in a house fire near Española

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities investigating a pre-dawn house fire near Española that left two children dead said Sunday that the cause of the blaze was still unclear.

New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management officials said the two victims were taken to a Santa Fe hospital Saturday where they both were pronounced dead.

The names of the children weren’t immediately released Sunday.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that authorities believe the kids were ages 10 and 12.

According to the newspaper, the New Mexico State Fire Marshal’s Office is leading the investigation.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a fire at 4:30 a.m. Saturday.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, they reported finding two victims in the one-story home near the Chimayó Museum.

Chimayó straddles northern Santa Fe County and southeastern Rio Arriba County and lies mostly along N.M. 76 east of Española.