Eight people found dead after Oklahoma house fire; homicide probe underway

Eight people were found dead inside an Oklahoma house that went up in flames Thursday, prompting a homicide investigation, authorities said.

The tragedy in Broken Arrow was confirmed by local police who described the house fire as a “complex scene” due to the extensive damage.

“BAPD continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the department said in a tweet.

A Broken Arrow police spokesperson said the incident was a “shock” to the entire city.

“Preliminary reports are that this is going to be a homicide investigation,” Broken Arrow police spokesperson Ethan Hutchins said. “We’re still focused on trying to put out the fire and also investigate what happened to these victims.”

He added Broken Arrow is a “safe city” that “doesn’t have this kind of situation every day.”

Broken Arrow is about 15 miles from the city of Tulsa.

This would be the first homicide in 2022 in Broken Arrow, 2 News reported.

Broken Arrow police chief Brandon Berryhill said his department and the fire chief will have more information on the probe Friday.

“Broken Arrow stands together. We will mourn together, and in the end we will heal together,” Berryhill said in a Facebook post on the department’s page.

“Please pray for those who have lost their lives, and for our first responders who are dealing with a tragedy of this magnitude.”

With Post wires