A 65-year-old man died in a house fire early Sunday in Cass Township just outside of Minersville.
Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Joseph Pothering pronounced Richard Thomas Dermo, 33 S. Maple Ave., dead at 4:14 a.m.
He was found in the middle room on the first floor, Pothering said.
Dr. David J. Moylan III, Schuylkill County coroner, said a virtual autopsy on the fire victim was unsuccessful due to technical difficulties. He said a conventional autopsy would be done at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Following the conventional autopsy, Moylan said the official cause of Dermo's death is pending "microscopic evaluation of tissues and full toxicology and will include carbon monoxide levels."
Results could be available in a week, he added.
Moylan said Dermo had "extensive thermal injuries to soft tissues" from the fire.
Smoke inhalation is also a possibility, he said. However, he added he did not see much evidence of that.
Moylan said the autopsy found that Dermo had "some significant cardiac disease," which may have contributed to his death.
Several local and regional fire companies responded to the scene.
A supervisor with the Schuylkill County Communications Center said a call came in at 2:41 a.m. for a house fire with possible entrapment.
Pete Ricigliano, Cass Township fire chief, said firefighters were met with "heavy fire and smoke coming from the middle window" on the side of 33 S. Maple Ave.
The fire was contained in "a little over an hour," he said.
No firefighters were injured.
A house at 35 S. Maple Ave. had fire and smoke damage, although Ricigliano did not have an estimate of the damage. The resident at that address, who declined to give his name, made it out safely.
Ricigliano said the cause of the blaze is under investigation by a state police fire marshal and Cass Township fire marshal; however, he said there is no reason to think the cause is suspicious.
Although he was unable to provide a damage estimate, Ricigliano said the house at 33 S. Maple Ave. is "pretty much gutted out."
Firefighters later had to douse a small fire on the first floor of 33 S. Maple.
Ricigliano said he did not see or hear any smoke detectors at 33 S. Maple; however, neighbors said they heard smoke alarms at 35 S. Maple.
Austin McCullough, 16, who lives across the street, said he was watching TV and smelled smoke. He woke up his mother, Cindy Sinko, 36.
"When we opened the door, we were able to see the orange glow from the side of the building," Sinko said in reference to 33 S. Maple Ave. She called 911.
Neighbors said the resident of 35 S. Maple Ave. attempted to kick down the door at 33 S. Maple. However, the resident refused to speak about the fire.
The entire Cass Township Fire Department - Clover Hose Company, Forestville Citizens Fire Company No. 1 and the South Cass Fire Company - responded to the blaze. Other responders included Minersville Fire and Rescue, Minersville Mountaineer Hose Co. No. 1, Phoenix Park Fire Company, the Saint Clair Fire Department, Llewellyn Fire Company, Yorkville Hose Company, West End Hose Company No. 7, both of Pottsville, Liberty Fire Company No. 4, Schuylkill Haven and Schuylkill Hose Company No.2, Schuylkill Haven.
The Minersville Ambulance and Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven, Orwigsburg EMS also responded.