Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of a house fire that claimed the lives of a disabled woman and her friend in Allen Parish earlier this week.

The fire was reported to the Oakdale Fire Department around 8:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 200 block of Canal Street in Oakdale, according to the State Fire Marshal’s office.

When firefighters arrived they spotted a man through a bedroom window and pulled him from the burning home. First responders were unable to revive the victim.

A second female victim was found in a bathroom.

Ashley Rodrigue, public affairs director for the state fire marshal’s office, said the victims are believed to be a 35-year-old disabled woman, who was renting the home and a 61-year-old male friend visiting at the time of the fire.

A positive identification and cause of death is pending on both victims as of Thursday.

The fire is believed to have originated in the dining room area. Investigators have been unable to rule out the possibility of unsafe smoking practices, unattended candles and an electrical malfunction as potential contributing factors.

Investigators were unable to locate working smoke alarms in the home.