SOUTH ST. PAUL — Investigators say a house fire that killed a father and his two young sons in South St. Paul earlier this month was likely caused by cooking in an attached garage.

In a Facebook post, the South Metro Fire Department said 60-year-old Soeun Sem, the father who died in the fire, was known to prepare food in the garage.

The fire department said propane cooking equipment was found in the area where the fire originated.

Sem and his 2-year-old son died at the scene of the Oct. 13 fire. A 5-year-old son died later at a hospital. The boys’ mother was at work when the fire broke out.