A probe of a weekend blaze that killed two people in Salisbury was continuing this week, with investigators examining the possible use of space heaters as the culprit.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office said the fire at 119 First St. was reported Saturday at 2:55 a.m when a passer-by saw the home ablaze.

Officials said the bodies of two people -- a 62-year-old male and an 82-year-old female -- were later found in the structure. 

The Salisbury Fire Department and nearby fire companies responded to the two-alarm fire. It took 35 firefighters approximately 40 minutes to control the blaze. Once the fire was extinguished, firefighters located two deceased occupants within the single-family dwelling, which had been converted into seven individual apartments.

Officials said the victims resided in separate units. Their bodies were taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore to determine the exact cause of death and identification.

Seven other residents were able to escape safely. Fire Marshals said their probe confirms the fire originated in a downstairs unit and a space heater igniting combustibles can not be ruled out. Investigators determined smoke alarms were present and activated.

State Fire Marshals, Salisbury Police and the Medical Examiner’s Office are jointly conducting the investigation.