TOWN OF CHESTER – The fire
that claimed the life of a Chester man in his 388 Bellvale Road apartment
on July 29 was caused by careless smoking, Town Police Chief Daniel Doellinger
said on Monday.
The chief said the fire started on the mattress in the bedroom and is being ruled accidental as the result of careless smoking.
Ryan Coyle, 32, was the sole resident of the apartment. An autopsy conducted by the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be smoke inhalation.
Town of Chester Police and the Orange County Fire Investigation Team probed the cause of the fire in the apartment that is situated over a garage. It was reported at 6:44 a.m. by a passerby.
