State police investigating fatal Connoquenessing Twp. fire
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — State police fire marshals are investigating an early morning house fire that claimed the life of a township man Sunday.
Jeffrey Perez Jr., 37, was pronounced dead at the scene, said John Hanovick, chief deputy coroner. Smoke inhalation is the apparent cause of death, but the pending results of toxicology tests are needed to confirm the cause, he said.
The fire started in his home at 213 Reiber Road at 1:18 a.m.
Neighbors, who didn’t wish to be identified, said flames and smoke prevented them from entering the home to find Perez.
A next-door neighbor said two children who were home at the time came to his home and told him about the fire and that Perez was inside.
The neighbor said he opened a basement door, but a loud “boom” followed by flames and smoke knocked him onto his back, and he wasn’t able to enter the house.
He called another neighbor who lives across the street to help, but neither man could find a way into the house due to the smoke and flames, they said.
The neighbors said Perez lived in the home with his wife and children, but his wife was not home at the time. They said the family’s German shepherd also died in the fire. They said Perez served in the Marine Corps and worked for a local tree service.
The Connoquenessing Township, Prospect and Butler Township volunteer fire departments responded to the fire. They were at the scene for about four hours.
