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2 Dead After Flames Engulf House In Western Wis.

OSCEOLA, Wis. (WCCO) -- A deadly fire in Osceola, Wis., claimed of lives of a mother and her daughter Tuesday morning.

Crews found the body of a teenage girl around 2 p.m. Tuesday, and her mother just three hours later.

When fire overtook the home on 240th Street, the flames lit up the morning sky near Osceola.

"All I could see through the window was orange, so I grabbed my phone and ran up the drive way calling 911," said Robert Gilliland, a neighbor.

The flames destroyed the home, but the real loss goes far beyond any material possessions. Two people lost their lives, a 16-year-old girl and her mother.

Firefighters spent much of the afternoon searching for the two victims. It's a task that cut close to home for some on this small volunteer fire department.

"One of the firemen working the fire explained to me he is good friends with the family," said Steve Smith of the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

It took hours for firefighters to put out the flames, but it'll take far longer to heal from the damage it caused.

"It's a sad day for Osceola/Dresser area," said Smith.

Investigators are still looking into the cause of the fire. Another person, an elderly man, got out of the home safely and was taken to the hospital.

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