READING, Pa. – Authorities say a deadly fire in Exeter Township took the life of a man. According to the fire marshal, the home was missing a crucial device that saves lives.
A little before 7 a.m. Wednesday, firefighters rushed to a home in the 1200 block of Dauphin Place in Exeter Township and made a tragic discovery.
“Sadly, this is a fatal fire. It looks like a fire started in an unused bedroom,” said Sgt. David Bentz, the township fire marshal who also serves with the Exeter Township Police Department.
Crews say they battled the fire, then searched the home and found a man’s body. The coroner identified the victim as 70-year-old John Chiarelli.
“It’s sad. There’s only one person living there — an old man,” said Tim Mayer, a neighbor.
Authorities say there were no smoke detectors in the home.
“Smoke detectors save lives. It’s been a message the fire departments have been pushing since the ’70s,” Bentz said. “Make sure you have a smoke detector. Make sure it’s working. Smoke detectors really work to wake us up in the middle of night and get us out of houses safely.”
Authorities say you can reach out to local fire departments if you need help getting a smoke detector.
“If you call a firehouse, they’ll certainly help you out with that. The Exeter Township Fire Department is very proactive with those kinds of things,” Bentz said. “The American Red Cross also is an option for people outside of Exeter that are looking for a smoke detector for their home.”
Police say there are no initial indicators of foul play, and there’s no word yet on the exact origin and cause of the fire.
“It just kind of makes you realize how precious life is, how close we all are to something going bad,” Mayer said.
Authorities are urging people to check their smoke detectors and make sure they are working properly.