A 70-year-old man died Wednesday morning following a house fire in Exeter Township, according to authorities.
Exeter Township Police and the Exeter Township Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched at approximately 7:27 a.m. on Jan. 7 to a reported structure fire at 1253 Dauphin Place. Police officers were the first to arrive and confirmed the presence of an active fire, prompting a coordinated response from multiple fire companies in the area.
Firefighters worked to bring the fire under control and conducted a search of the residence. During that search, the sole occupant of the home, John Lou Chiarelli, 70, was located inside the residence and pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Berks County Coroner’s Office confirmed Chiarelli was found near the doorway of the home. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed Saturday, Jan. 10, at Reading Hospital by a forensic pathologist. The cause and manner of death remain pending.
According to police, there are no initial indicators of foul play. The origin and cause of the fire are under investigation and will be released by Pennsylvania State Police following completion of both the autopsy and fire investigation.
Exeter Township Police and the Exeter Township Volunteer Fire Department thanked assisting agencies for their response and urged residents to check their smoke detectors to ensure they are functioning properly.
Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact Exeter Township Police at 610-779-1490.
