Dad, 2 kids dead in Mass. car blaze

A man and his two young children were found dead outside his girlfriend's workplace Monday after he set his car on fire, authorities said.

Hipolito Ortiz, 37, likely used an accelerant such as gasoline in the fire at an industrial park just before 9:30 a.m., police said.

The bodies of the two children were burned beyond recognition, but police have tentatively identified them as Ortiz's son and daughter, 2-year-old Adrian Ortiz and 6-year-old Genesis Ortiz.

It appeared the children were alive when Ortiz set the blaze inside his leased 2001 Dodge Strata, but a medical examiner will have to determine the exact cause of death, Police Commissioner Edward Flynn said.

The children's mother, whose name was not released, was at work inside Harvey Industries, a maker of doors and window frames, when firefighters responded to a 911 call reporting the fire.

Police Capt. Robert Cheetham described Ortiz and the mother as estranged for the past month. However, Ortiz drove the woman to work, dropped her off at 7 a.m., and said he planned to spend the day with their two children, Cheetham said.

"What transpired between the drop-off and the murder-suicide, I have no idea," Cheetham said.

There were no records of restraining orders or other problems between the couple, Flynn said.