Two people were found dead Monday after firefighters extinguished a fire inside a utility vault beneath a downtown Fresno bridge overpass, authorities said.

Firefighters were dispatched shortly after 8:20 a.m. to the H Street overpass at Fresno Street after reports of smoke in the area, according to the Fresno Fire Department.

When crews arrived, they determined the smoke was coming from a utility vault beneath the bridge. Construction workers nearby told firefighters they had seen homeless individuals entering the vault earlier in the morning, the department said.

Because of the hazardous conditions, firefighters called in the Fresno Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team, Hazardous Materials Team and emergency medical personnel. Officials said the incident involved a confined space with fire conditions and energized electrical utilities, requiring specialized equipment and training.

The vault serves as a major electrical distribution circuit for downtown Fresno, officials said.

Pacific Gas and Electric crews responded to shut off power to the vault before firefighters entered through an access hatch and extinguished the fire.

During a search of the vault, firefighters found two people inside and removed them from the confined space. Both were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Power remained shut off Monday to the affected electrical system, impacting multiple downtown city blocks.

Fire investigators and law enforcement officials are working to identify the victims and determine the cause of the fire.

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