DOVER, TN (WSMV) -
Fire consumed a home in rural Stewart County late Tuesday, killing two people inside.
The blaze occurred at a home on Upper Standing Rock Road in Dover, and when crews arrived, the roof of the home had already caved in.
"It's heart wrenching. It really is," said neighbor Frank Pellino.
Investigators haven't positively identified the bodies, but Pellino said the home belonged to Ken and Nancy Goza.
Pellino said another neighbor first discovered the fire when he didn't get the usual call to join the Kolas for dinner.
"Mr. Gibson used to come up here and have dinner with them every night. He didn't hear from them. He didn't know what was wrong. That's when he jumped up into his van and decided to come up here," Pellino said.
Pellino said when his neighbor went by the home, it was in flames. Stewart County fire crews arrived just before 11:30 p.m., but Sheriff Deryk Wyatt said the flames were too intense.
"There was fears at the beginning of the call that the residents maybe in the home. So they were trying everything they could to get the fire knocked down," Wyatt said.
The Stewart County Fire Department is made up of volunteers, but Wyatt said that didn't affect firefighters' response time.
"It does slow a response down some, but I can say over the years, I have worked with the fire department a lot and they have a real quick response," Wyatt said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, which leaves neighbors like Pellino with many questions about what may have happened to his friends.
"Nobody is going to know but the good Lord, and like I said for Him to take these people, it's heartbreaking," he said.
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