Ottawa ? A space heater is being blamed for starting a fire that killed a man and a woman early Wednesday morning.

The man, who lived at the house at 119 Poplar St., was identified Thursday as Jeffrey C. Marmon, 43. The woman’s identity has not been determined, Ottawa Fire Chief Jeff Carner said.

“We’re 99 percent sure we know who it is, but until it’s confirmed, we can’t release the name,” Carner said.

Attempts to identify the body through several methods were still being made, Carner said late Thursday.

Firefighters were called to the house shortly after midnight Wednesday and found it almost fully engulfed by flames, Carner said. The house and its contents were heavily damaged.

The bodies of the victims were found on the second floor. An autopsy determined they died from smoke inhalation, the fire chief said.

The space heater that caused the fire was on the first floor.

“We don’t know if it was knocked over or if it got too close to some combustibles,” Carner said.

There were several space heaters that appeared to be in use at the house. Natural gas to the house had been shut off before the fire.