By Leah Justice

leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

The death of Trey Miller, who died in August at an East Howard Street, Tryon home, was ruled an accident by smoke and fume inhalation, according to autopsy results from the office of the chief medical examiner in Raleigh.

The Tryon Police Department received Miller’s autopsy results this week and released them on Tuesday, March 1.

A toxicology report was also performed, which showed no drugs in Miller’s system. A blood alcohol test showed mild intoxication of ethanol at 11 mg/dl, which is an approximate 0.11 blood alcohol level, according to the Tryon Police Department.

Tryon also received a report on Feb. 19 from the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) on the fire. The fire occurred around 3 a.m. on Aug. 22, 2015 at 950 East Howard Street, Tryon, where Miller had reportedly stayed to sleep on the couch at the residence of Willie Wingo.

According to the SBI report obtained by the Tryon Police Department, it is the opinion of special agent Key that the fire originated in the kitchen area of the structure near the stove. Heavy charring in the area of the wiring was unable to be fully examined to determine if the failure was in the stove or in the wiring, according to a narrative written by the Tryon police from the SBI report. The report stated the fire progressed up the rear of the stove and up the wall into the attic area of the structure, then vented through the back door and front door of the residence.

“After careful review of the evidence at the scene and the area sustaining fire damage, SA (special agent) Key formed the opinion that this fire was electrical in nature,” states Tryon’s report.

Miller, who lived in Candler, was 32 at the time of his death.

The final autopsy diagnosis determined that there was smoke and fume inhalation, with soot lining the airways, carbon monoxide greater than 60 percent saturation and skin and soft tissue thermal effects, according to the autopsy report. The autopsy also found heart conditions that are not believed by officials to have contributed to Miller’s death, including hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, cardiomegaly (enlarged heart) and left anterior descending arteriosclerosis, mild focal stenosis.

The autopsy also determined there was no intra-cranial, neck, intra-thoracic, intra-abdominal or pelvic injuries.

The medical examiner included a preliminary summary of circumstances surrounding Miller’s death.

“The subject was in a house fire in his uncle’s house,” states the summary. “The uncle stated that the subject had gone to sleep on a couch in the living room the night of 8-21-15, while the uncle went to sleep in another room. At approximately 0300 the uncle awoke to the house on fire and escaped. The subject was found dead and badly burned on floor near the front door.”

The Tryon Police Department’s narrative of the Aug. 22 fire was also released, which was written by Tryon Sgt. Emanuel Zaragoza, who was first on the scene.

Sgt. Zaragoza’s narrative said at approximately 3:08 a.m. on Aug. 22, 2015, he responded to the fire call.

“I was met by a couple of males who stated there was a person inside the residence,” states the police report. “As I approached the front door, I observed smoke inside the residence. I noticed the front door partly ajar. I kicked the door open but was unable to enter the residence due to heavy smoke and heat emerging from inside the residence. I asked one of the males who was standing outside who was inside, he responded it was ‘Trey.’ I called for Trey to come out but no answer. I then walked to a window located to on the front right and broke the glass and again called for Trey to come out but no answer. Minutes later Lieutenant Nick Stott with the Columbus Police Department, officer Alan Corn with Tryon Police Department and the Tryon Fire Department arrived. Lieutenant Stott, officer Corn and I pulled a water hose to the rear of the residence and (began) spraying the residence. Members of the Tryon Fire Department also sprayed the front of the residence. Once the fire was controlled, members of the fire department conducted a walk of the inside (of) the residence and (advised) me of a body located in the living room. I then secured the residence pending an investigation. I spoke with the homeowner (Willie Louis Wingo) who stated his friend “Trey” was inside the residence in the living room when the fire (began).”

The police report continues to state that Wingo said the last time he saw Trey was 10 minutes prior to the house catching on fire and that he could not go back into the residence to get him out. The SBI was called to assist with the investigation, according to Zaragoza’s report.

Tryon Police Chief Jeff Arrowood said following the autopsy and SBI report, the case is closed.