By Janice Morse
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - Twice in a three-week span, two people died - seemingly killed in Butler County house fires.

But in both cases, the victims in Monroe and Middletown died of natural causes before the fires started, Coroner Richard P. Burkhardt said Tuesday.

"So it looks like Butler County has two fire deaths, when actually it has none," Burkhardt said. "To a casual observer, both (victims) appeared to have burned to death. ... But neither one died in the fire, which should be of some consolation to their families."

Neither Michael Pell, 60, of Monroe, nor Jeanne Anness, an elderly Middletown woman, suffered smoke inhalation, Burkhardt said. Discarded cigarettes were blamed for both fires, investigators said.

On Jan. 13, Pell was found in the living room of his home in the 200 block of Rachel Lane. Some onlookers feared Pell was unable to escape the fire because he was disabled and used a wheelchair. But he died of an irregular heartbeat and coronary artery disease, Burkhardt ruled.

The home and contents, valued at $156,000, were destroyed.

On Sunday, Anness was found dead in the family room of her home in the 4800 block of Ashley Terrace, Middletown. She died of a hemorrhagic stroke, Burkhardt said.

That fire caused an estimated $400,000 loss, investigators said.

In his 24 years as coroner, Burkhardt said he couldn't think of a time when he's had two natural deaths in fires in such a short span.

In both cases, Burkhardt said he found two telltale signs that neither victim was breathing during the fire: no significant blood levels of carbon monoxide and no soot in the victims' windpipes or lungs.

Fire officials said they were surprised to learn the victims died of natural causes.

Nevertheless, fire officials in both communities said they regret the outcomes.

Monroe Assistant Fire Chief John Centers said the department's emergency medical crews "still wish they could have been there sooner for (Pell)."

"We all try to deal with the loss," regardless of the cause," said Middletown Fire Capt Greg Justice.

E-mail jmorse@enquirer.com