Reports indicate 37-year-old died before accidental blaze started

The man whose body was removed from a Coatesville basement that caught on fire in the 200 block of Charles Street on Wednesday afternoon died before the blaze occurred, Coatesville Police said on Thursday, March 13.

Police said Joshua Wilson, 37, who resided in the two-story dwelling, had been reported as entrapped when emergency personnel responded to the fire call at 1:40 p.m. It was later determined that Wilson’s death preceded the fire, police said, adding that the exact cause of death is pending toxicology results and does not appear to be suspicious in nature.

Police said investigators have ruled the fire accidental with no injuries to the other five people who were in the residence at the time. Acting Coatesville Fire Chief Jim Lentz said the fire was contained in the basement and extinguished quickly.

Officials said the Coatesville Bureau of Fire and Coatesville Police were assisted by the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal’s Unit, the Chester County Fire Marshal, the Chester County Coroner’s Office, and units from Westwood and the VA fire departments.