Early Sunday morning, a vehicle fully engulfed in flames near the Reading city line turned into a death investigation after firefighters found a body inside on South 9th Street in Cumru Township.
Fire crews were dispatched at 3:23 a.m. to the area, where they arrived to find the car already consumed by fire. Once the flames were knocked down, first responders discovered a deceased individual inside the vehicle, according to Daily Voice. The scene was secured while investigators began collecting evidence and working to determine how the fire started and what led to the death.
Coroner's Office Role In The Case
The Berks County Coroner's Office, led by Matthew J. Stitzel, is responsible for investigating sudden and unexplained deaths in the county and operates around the clock to handle death investigations and records, according to the Berks County Coroner's Office. The office oversees autopsies and coordinates with law enforcement during on-scene examinations.
Autopsy Scheduled As Probe Continues
Stitzel's office took custody of the decedent at 6:17 a.m., and the body was transported to the Reading Hospital morgue after on-scene processing. The person's identity remains pending positive identification, and an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, to be performed by forensic pathologist Dr. Neil Hoffman. Agencies assisting at the scene included the Reading Fire Department, Cumru Township Police, the Pennsylvania State Police in Reading, Cumru Township Fire Department and the Berks County Forensic Unit, and the investigation remains active, according to Daily Voice.
Forensic Pathologist A Regular Presence In Berks
Local reporting shows Dr. Neil Hoffman regularly serves as a forensic pathologist on Berks County cases, having conducted autopsies in recent investigations, per Berks Weekly. That background underscores the county's use of contracted forensic specialists as officials complete the coroner's review and await toxicology and other test results.
