A murder investigation has been launched after eight bodies were discovered in a burning house in Oklahoma.

The fire was reported around 4pm on Thursday in Broken Arrow, around 13 miles southeast of Tulsa.

Broken Arrow police said the fire and the deaths were being investigated as homicides, but they did not believe there was an immediate threat to the public.

Police spokesman Ethan Hutchins said the scene was complex “with a lot of moving parts”.

He added: “Understandably, this is a shock to Broken Arrow.

“It’s a safe city. Broken Arrow doesn’t have this kind of situation every day.”

Broken Arrow is Tulsa’s biggest suburb, with almost 115,000 residents.

The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also involved in the investigation.