A 45-year-old man was found dead inside a Mount Penn Borough home Wednesday following an hours-long response involving police, firefighters and the Berks County Emergency Response Team.
Police responded to a home in the 100 block of Hollywood Avenue around 2:30 p.m. for a wellness check after neighbors reportedly had not heard from the man for several days.
As officers began entering the basement, authorities said they encountered a flash of light and fire, prompting them to evacuate the home and establish a perimeter around the area. The Berks County Emergency Response Team was subsequently called to the scene.
A small fire in the basement was extinguished by firefighters from outside the home. Authorities later entered the residence using specialized technology and found the man deceased in the basement from what police described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police said firearms were found inside the home, but no shots were fired during the emergency response. Authorities were continuing to investigate what caused the flash and fire encountered by officers.