SOUTH HERO, Vt. (AP) - Vermont fire investigators say the cause of a fire that killed two women in a South Hero home is now being classified as undetermined.
Investigators had focused on a burn pit about 33 feet from the home as the cause of the Feb. 9 fire that killed 87-year-old Elinor Lawrence and 54-year-old Carolyn Lawrence, but further investigation pointed to an old chest freezer that may have malfunctioned as another possible cause.
The compressor on the freezer was found to have seized and it may have caused the power cord or wall outlet to overheat.
Both possibilities are considered accidental, but since neither the burn pit nor malfunctioning freezer can be eliminated the cause will be listed as undetermined.
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