A house in southern Lee County went up in flames early Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, killing two people and leaving the residence a total loss. Deputies and volunteer firefighters responded after neighbors reported a loud explosion and visible flames at about 6:25 a.m. Investigators later located two bodies in the charred remains and ordered autopsies.
Deputies at the scene, working with the South Lee County Volunteer Fire Department, found the structure fully engulfed and focused on knocking down the fire before investigators moved in. First responders initially had two residents unaccounted for, and the deaths were confirmed only after crews cleared the wreckage, as reported by CBS Austin.
State teams join local probe
The Lee County Sheriff's Office said investigators with the State Fire Marshal's Office and the Texas Rangers were called in to assist with the case, and the Precinct 2 justice of the peace was requested to hold an inquest. Deputies described the residence as a total loss while investigators processed the scene, according to a Lee County Sheriff's Office press release.
"Autopsies were ordered to be conducted by the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office," the release stated, adding that "the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time." The sheriff's office also reported that next-of-kin were notified and that the victims' names will be released only after positive identification, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office.
What neighbors should know
No arrests have been made, and officials have not yet announced how the fire started. Investigators urged anyone with information to contact the Lee County Sheriff's Office. Authorities say more details will be released after the medical examiner completes the autopsies and formal identifications.
