OCEAN ISLE BEACH, N.C. --
The North Carolina medical examiner on Wednesday released information on the beach-house fire that killed seven college students over the weekend.
The students died from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning, investigators said and there was no evidence of other injuries, investigators said.
State fire investigators also released the gutted house back to its owners on Wednesday, but it was fenced off for safety.
Investigators have said that the will likely issue a report on Friday on what caused the fire.
Ocean Isle Beach Mayor Debbie Smith said that investigators told her that the fire may have started either on or near a deck facing a canal on the west side of the house. That side of the building appeared to have suffered the most damage.
"It's very devastating to this community, Smith said. (We have) a lot of community support to pull together, to give what support and comfort they can to these families that have lost their loved ones."
Smith said that the flags in the town will fly at half-staff for seven days -- one day for each victim of the fire.
After the fire, the bodies of those killed were taken to the state medical examiner's officer in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Six of the students killed attended the University of South Carolina and one attended Clemson University.
Six other USC students were injured, but managed to escape from the fire in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C..
Neighbors said that the students held a party Saturday evening, but the house had quieted down in the hours before the fire erupted.
The fire struck the house on Scotland Street sometime before 7 a.m. and burned completely through the first and second floors, leaving only part of the home's frame standing. The waterfront home is built on stilts, forcing firefighters to climb a ladder onto the house's deck to reach the first living floor.
Witnesses said the fire burned so hot, so fast, there would have been little time for anyone to escape the blaze.
Patty Wilson witnessed the fire. "It was sort of surreal," she said. "It was flames coming out of the building and seemed to be growing very quickly."
James Mayberry said he smelled the smoke from a block away.
"It was like, 'Oh my god.' It was horrifying," he said.
WYFF News 4's Mike McCormick reported that the early morning fire burned completely through the first and second floors leaving only part of the home's frame standing.
Ocean Isle Beach is one of the northernmost islands of the Grand Strand. The island is filled with rental homes and condominiums.
