Officials have completed an on-scene investigation and will begin interviewing witnesses of the house fire that occurred at 700 W. College Ave.

Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal Jeff Wharran said the cause of the fire, which started early Sunday morning, has not been determined. The investigation will likely continue for some time, he added.

"We don't have to look at the scene anymore," Wharran said. "It's a joint effort between myself and the State College Borough police."

Wharran said there is no timeline for the investigation, and it would continue for as long as it takes.

Because the investigation is ongoing, he would not rule out causes for the fire, including whether the blaze was the result of an accident.

At about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, the Alpha Fire Co. responded to the scene of a burning house along with Ferguson and Patton townships' fire departments. The blaze gutted the inside of the house, and responders arriving at the scene could not save any of the possessions inside. Some Penn State students said they heard loud noises resembling either gunshots or fireworks prior to the home going up in flames.

Although no one was seriously injured, the fire left 10 Penn State students homeless. They have supplemental housing in Hoyt Hall on campus.

Two good Samaritans rescued the occupants of the house. Matt Emmerling (senior-communications) said another bystander called 911 while he and Kevin Mahoney, Class of 2005, retrieved at least three people who were downstairs and unaware of the blaze originating from the back of the house.

Shawn Kauffman, senior housing and fire inspector for the Centre Region Code Administration, said Monday was the last day that the house itself was investigated.

Greg Brown (sophomore-secondary education), who lives across the street from the affected house, said he was upstairs in his bedroom at the time of the fire, but his roommate heard what sounded like gunshots before the house caught on fire.

"I did not hear fireworks," Brown said. "My roommate [Chris Halbig (senior-crime, law and justice)], who was outside on the porch at the time, heard what he thought was gunshots, and within two minutes, the house was engulfed in flames."

Brown also said a neighbor who lived farther down West College Avenue came running down the street and said that he thought he heard fireworks.

Matt Russell (junior-anthropology), who lives at 622 W. College Ave., two doors down from the house that caught fire, said he did not hear any fireworks the night of the fire.

Chris Dalton (senior-English), who lives at 521 W. College Ave., said he did not hear any fireworks before the fire either.

"I saw fire engines going, and I looked outside and saw an inferno," Dalton said.

Kauffman also said he could not confirm or deny whether fireworks had anything to do with the fire.

At Monday night's State College Borough Council meeting, State College Mayor Bill Welch said that in the near future, the borough plans to do something to recognize Emmerling's and Mahoney's actions.

"We will strive to track down the two young men who saved lives in the house fire on West College Avenue, and we will recognize them in the future," Welch said.

Council member Elizabeth Goreham said it is very important to recognize the two men for saving the lives of those in the house.

Goreham said Emmerling and Mahoney would most likely receive a plaque from the borough for their efforts.

"Civic engagement is very important," Goreham said. "We all live here together and we need to look out for one another."