2 dead after Saturday house fire in Regina

Two people are dead after a Saturday morning house fire in Regina, while two other people in the home were able to escape the blaze, the city's fire department says.

Fire crews were called around 8:30 a.m. to a home on the 800 block of Rae Street, in the city's North Central neighbourhood, that was "completely engulfed in flames," according to a news release from the Regina Police Service.

Police said they were first called by people passing by who noticed smoke coming from the home.

When officers arrived, two residents of the home, who appeared to have minor injuries, were outside. They told officers two adults were still inside the home, police said in their release.

Firefighters responded in about four and half minutes, Regina Fire Department Deputy Chief Dustin McCullough said.

Two people taken from the second floor of the house died from their injuries, McCullough said. They were declared dead on scene.

He couldn't comment on specific details of the fire because he wasn't at the scene himself, but said "there was definitely significant involvement in the structure in the house."

Four people next door were forced from their home due to fire damage, according to the fire department.

"I can't say how long they'll be out, but obviously it wasn't habitable at the time," said McCullough. "They will be displaced for a period of time."

McCullough said it's still too early in the investigation to know the cause of the fire.