An early morning house fire was ruled accidental, but a husband and wife are dead, officials said.

Boyd Weese, 80, and his wife, Evelyn Weese, 79, died in their Douglas County home, spokesman for the Office of Commissioner Insurance Glenn Allen said.

The home located at 64485 Ansley Blvd. in Lithia Springs was destroyed.

“My fire investigator determined that the blaze started in the attic of the home,” Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens said. “We believe the fire was the result of an electrical malfunction.”

Investigators found no signs of a working smoke alarm found inside the home, Allen said.

In July, a 6-year-old boy and his mother died after a cigarette started a fire in a trash can, Hudgens said.

The Weese deaths bring the total number of Georgians who have died as a result of a fire this year to 77, according to the state office.

Know what's really going on with crime and public safety in your metro Atlanta community, including breaking news, trial coverage, trends and the latest on unsolved cases. Sign up for the AJC's crime and safety newsletter delivered weekly to your inbox.

In other news:

Ricky Williams Arrested For Traffic Violations

About the Author

Keep Reading

Darius Robinson was relieved of coaching duties after his arrest, the Greene County School District said. (Courtesy of Greene County Schools)

Credit: Greene County schools

Featured

Waymo autonomous vehicles operate across 65 square miles inside I-285 and have been involved in six incidents with Atlanta Public School buses since May. Waymo issued a recall because of their cars briefly stopping or slowing down before continuing forward while a bus was stopped and flashing its lights. (Courtesy of Atlanta Public Schools)

Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Public Schools