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Bullskin Twp. man may have died before fire in home

By Rebekah Sungala 2 min read

BULLSKIN – An elderly, bedridden man who was found dead in his home Saturday after a small fire erupted in the bedroom may have died of natural causes. Fayette County Coroner Dr. Philip Reilly said Jack Basinger, 67, of Pleasant Valley Road was apparently smoking in bed when it’s believed he may have suffered a heart attack or stroke and caught his bed on fire.

The results of a full autopsy conducted Sunday were not available by press time; however, Reilly said all preliminary tests showed Basinger died of natural causes.

Reilly said Basinger suffered severe burns to his body, but noted that a lethal level of carbon monoxide was not present in Basinger’s lungs.

“It may very well be that he died a natural death in bed and lost control of the cigarette when he died and started a fire,” Reilly said. “He was not breathing when the mattress ignited.”

Reilly said the fire was contained to Basinger’s bed and that there was an ashtray “cradled” next to the man.

Basinger’s wife, Nancy, had left her husband to run some errands and was on her way home when the fire erupted, Reilly said.

The fire, according to information from Fayette County 911, was reported around 4:30 p.m. Bullskin and Scottdale volunteer fire departments responded, as did Fayette County Fire Marshall Bill Large of the Uniontown state police barracks.

Basinger was pronounced dead by Deputy Coroner Paul Kondrla at 6 p.m. Saturday.

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