Investigators believe a gas cylinder explosion may have caused the devastating house fire that killed a 24-year-old mother and her two young children in the village of Domen, near Shkodër, on Wednesday.

According to preliminary findings, the woman had lit a five-litre gas cylinder while preparing food when it allegedly exploded, triggering a fast-moving fire. The force of the blast is believed to have caused the roof of the old family home to collapse, trapping the mother and her children inside.

The victims have been identified as Bleona Çobaj, 24, and her sons, Amar, 18 months, and Anuar Çelaj, 3. The family, who had been living in Germany, had returned to Albania for a summer holiday and had been cleaning and repairing the old house owned by the woman's family.

Authorities said the remote location of the property hampered emergency efforts. Fire engines were only able to reach the end of the road, forcing firefighters to continue on foot for around 40 minutes before arriving at the scene. By then, the house had been completely destroyed by the flames.

The woman's husband, Besmir Çelaj, 35, and her father had reportedly left the property shortly before the explosion to buy supplies. Albanian authorities continue to investigate the exact cause of the tragedy.