Coroner releases identities of 2 people who died in Spring Township house fire
The Centre County Coroner released the identities Friday of two people who died in a late March fire in a Spring Township home.
Melvin Emel, 79, and his sister, Evelyn Rees, 73, died of smoke inhalation, Centre County Coroner Scott Sayers wrote in a press release. The manner of their deaths was accidental.
Emel and Rees both lived at the house in the 100 block of Mulbarger Lane. When firefighters arrived at the scene of the two-alarm blaze around 9:15 a.m. March 28, they learned that the homeowners were inside the building, Spring Township police previously wrote in a press release.
Once the fire was under control, a search of the home began and the two were found. Emel and Rees were positively identified by DNA analysis, Sayers wrote.
Jessica McAllister
Centre Daily Times