The family was found in a home in Fair Lawn. Watch video
UPDATE: Authorities have confirmed a 53-year-old man killed his parents before turning the gun on himself.
FAIR LAWN -- Police found three members of a Fair Lawn family dead of gun shot wounds while responding to a fire Wednesday night, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal said.
Police found Rich Tempe Sr., 76, Barbara Tempe, 73, and Rich Tempe Jr., 53, in a home on 4th Street, Grewal said.
All three had been shot. Grewal did not identify who shot the Tempe family, but said "the matter is limited to a domestic event" and that police had recovered the firearm.
Investigators have been able to learn that the fire was intentionally set, Grewal said. The causes of death will be determined by autopsy.
The prosecutor's office wouldn't comment on the type of gun used. Autopsies may be completed by Friday.
Fair Lawn Police and firefighters responded to a 911 call about the fire at 11:36 p.m. Police Sgt. Brian Metzler said the fire was out within an hour.
An official source said one firefighter was treated and released from the hospital for an injury sustained during the blaze.
Mayor John Cosgrove thanked the firefighters for their response.
"Unfortunately the situation they found was not a good one but I want to thank them for doing that," he said.
Nelson and Princess Silva, who live with their three children on the same street, said they heard gunshots Wednesday night, but assumed they came from across the Passaic River in Paterson. They and other neighbors said they had never heard of the Tempes getting into a dispute before the shootings.
"No fighting, no arguing, no nothing," Nelson Silva Jr. said. "It's a shock for this area."
Pam Coles, who grew up next door to the Tempe house, said they were good neighbors, always willing to help her mother, who still lives next to the Tempe family home.
Rich Sr. was known to neighbors as "Big Rich" while Rich Jr. was "Little Rich." Barbara Tempe went by "Bobby," Coles said.
Some neighbors said Rich Jr. was odd. Chris Brice, 47, grew up with the younger Tempe and was once friendly with him. He said Rich Jr. had difficulty making eye contact and had few friends. He had once worked as a croupier in an Atlantic City casino, Brice said.
Rich Sr. worked for the Fair Lawn school district as a courier until retiring in 1999, Eugene Banta, president of the Fair Lawn Board of Education, said.
"He was well thought of and a good employee," Banta said. "We were all very sorry to hear of this tragedy."
Justin Zaremba of NJ Advance Media contributed to this story.
Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.