Coroner: Smoke inhalation killed at least 5 out of 10 people in fires

Neskopec, PA — — At least half of the 10 people confirmed dead after an early morning fire in northeastern Pennsylvania died from smoke inhalation, officials said.

The Lucerne County coroner's office said an autopsy of the victims of the early Friday fire in Neskopec began on Saturday. Examinations by Dr. Gary Ross were completed on three women, one man and his one girl, the office said in a news release Saturday afternoon.

Determining a victim's cause of death, such as classifying it as accident or homicide, is pending the results of a fire investigation, the coroner's office said. The identification of the victim is pending review of medical records, dental records, and DNA as appropriate, the coroner's office said.

According to state police, seven adults ranging from their late teens to her 79 were killed along with children aged 5, 6 and 7. Around 2:30 am on Friday, a fire broke out at the front door. He said, "The fire started and progressed so rapidly that it appeared to have made escape very difficult."

Nescopeck was about 20 miles southwest of Wilkes-Barre. (32 km) he is a small town on the Susquehanna River. The house was located in a residential neighborhood of mostly owner-occupied single-family homes.