Mom, Boy Killed in Suspicious South Jersey House Fire: Sources

A mother and her son died inside a house fire in South Jersey that may have been intentionally set.

Flames broke out around 8 a.m. inside a home along the 200 block of Washington Avenue – not far from the White Horse Pike (U.S. Route 30 ) – in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey.

Firefighters found two people dead in the home and medics transported a third victim to the hospital with undisclosed injuries, according to Atlantic County Dispatchers.

While officials have not identified the victims, sources told NBC10 they were a mother and her 7-year-old son.

"She was one of my best friends," said a friend of the victim. "Her son was one of my daughter's best friends. She's very sad."

The third victim who survived was the woman's boyfriend, according to neighbors. Sources also told NBC10 the man appeared to have suffered stab wounds. He is currently in stable condition.

"He was telling investigators that somebody broke into the house," said Egg Harbor City Police Sergeant Dylan Hutton.

Multiple fire departments, law enforcement agencies and the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office remained on the scene throughout the morning as they tried to figure out the circumstances of the blaze. Prosecutors called the fire "suspicious."

Law enforcement sources told NBC10's Ted Greenberg someone may have intentionally set the blaze and the case is being handled as a homicide investigation.