A father and his young son are dead in Acushnet after suffering from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning in their Buttonwood Lane home.

The Bristol County District Attorney's Office says the ex-wife of 41-year-old Joseph Lopes called Acushnet Police around 8:15 A.M. to conduct a welfare check on Lopes and their nine-year-old son Colin after they could not be reached Tuesday night and Colin had not shown up to school Wednesday morning.

Acushnet Police Chief Michael Alves tells WBSM News when fire officials arrived at the Buttonwood Lane home they detected extremely dangerous carbon monoxide readings coming from inside residence. "The Fire Department entered the house with their safety equipment and they located two deceased individuals within the house," said Alves.

The deceased have been identified as Joseph and Colin Lopes. The cause of the deaths remains under investigation, but appears to be carbon monoxide poisoning. The deaths are not being treated as suspicious in nature.

Emergency responders also found two dogs in the home, one of them deceased and the other very ill.

Acushnet Police and Fire Departments, along with the State Fire Marshal's Office and the Bristol County District Attorney's Office are investigating the deaths.

More From WFHN-FM/FUN 107