Somerset police believe fire victim identified

Police believe they have identified the body of person burned at the scene of a fire at a stack of poles in Somerset on Saturday, but the identity will not be released until it is forensically confirmed and next of kin has been notified, Somerset police said Monday.

Police Chief Randy Cox said the preliminary findings of an autopsy conducted Monday by Somerset County Coroner Wallace Miller and the investigation into the death have led police to believe they know the identity. But, Cox said that medical and dental record comparisons and DNA analysis still are pending in the case. Very little physical evidence was recovered from the scene, Cox said.

The victim’s death does not appear to be the result of foul play or involve any other persons, Cox said.

The borough had not received any missing person reports as of Sunday morning.

The case will be closed after police consult with Somerset County District Attorney Lisa Lazzari-Strasiser, Cox said.

The fire was reported on Musselman Avenue in a wooded area around 5 p.m. A passerby called 911 after seeing smoke and what appeared to be a charred corpse near a stack of old, wooden utility poles, Cox said.

The victm may have used an accelerant to light to poles on fire and then became engulfed in the flames. An arson expert was called to determine the origin and source of the fire, which consumed the large stack of old utility poles and covered an area of about 30 feet by 100 feet, Cox said.

The state police forensic services unit assisted in the investigation.