2 Knoxville residents, Iva Beatrice Nowotny, age 77 and Janice Carol Thomas, age 53 died on Saturday, October 10 at approximately 4:50 p.m. when their residence off of Old Highway 64 west was destroyed by fire. Units of the Knoxville and Lamar Fire Departments responded and remained on the scene until the early morning hours. A family member of Ms. Nowotny and Ms. Thomas left the residence at approximately 4:15 p.m. and returned to the residence at 4:50 p.m. and discovered the house fully engulfed. Johnson County Coroner Al "Junebug" Davis pronounced both residents deceased at approximately 8:45 p.m. when their bodies were recovered. Both victims have been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for an autopsy. The Arkansas State Police have been contacted to determine the origin of the fire.