A Reading man died shortly after firefighters removed him from his first-floor apartment that was on fire Saturday night, city fire Marshal Jeremy Searfoss said Monday.
Firefighters assisted three children and an adult from the second floor of the smoke-filled building at 920 Marion St. shortly after the alarm was struck about 11 p.m. Saturday. Those residents were evaluated at the scene by emergency medical personnel for smoke inhalation, he said.
Paramedics started lifesaving procedures on the man, who was removed from the first-floor rear apartment. He was taken to Reading Hospital, where he was declared dead shortly after arrival, the fire marshal said.
The Berks County coroner’s office identified him as Adam Weis, 33. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday to determine the cause and manner of death.
The four-unit building, a half-block from the Reading Fire Department’s Ninth and Marion station, was rendered uninhabitable, displacing about 10 residents, Searfoss said.
The Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents.
Emergency dispatchers fielded multiple 911 calls reporting a fire at the rear of the building on the first floor. Firefighters got into the rear apartment and found Weis, who resided alone, Searfoss said.
Crews controlled the fire in less than 20 minutes and contained it to the Weis’ apartment, he said.
There was smoke damage in much of the building.
The building uses electric heat, so the building cannot be reoccupied until repairs are made to the electrical system, Searfoss said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Source: Berkshire mont