A coroner says two brothers who were paralyzed after separate car wrecks died when fire consumed their southern Illinois home.
Randolph County Coroner Randy Dudenbostel says 45-year-old Dennis Monroe and 42-year-old Willie Monroe were killed in the fire near Sparta on Tuesday.
A third brother, his wife and young son managed to flee the two-story house but suffered burns and smoke inhalation. They were taken to a hospital, but there's no word on their conditions Thursday.
The cause of the fire hasn't been determined, although officials suspect it was caused by a wood-burning device.
The Illinois State Fire Marshall's Office is investigating.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
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