Victim of Gettysburg apartment fire identified by DNA testing: Coroner

Three months after a massive, fatal fire tore through a Gettysburg Borough apartment building in March, the victim of the fire was finally identified by authorities.

Donald Gardner, 62, a resident of the third floor of the apartment building on the first block of West Middle Street, was identified through DNA testing, the Adams County Coroner's office said.

Due to the condition of Gardner's body from the fire, identification of Gardner required the coroner's office to use DNA testing, which took several months and was assisted by family members of Gardner from Ohio, the office said.

The cause of death for Gardner was inhalation of products of combustion and thermal injuries, according to the coroner's office.

On the morning of the fire, Gettysburg Fire Chief Ken Kime said that the victim, now identified as Gardner, had been found on the third floor.

When firefighters arrived, around 2:45 a.m. that morning, they saw heavy fire showing from the third floor of the apartment building.

During the fire, the building suffered a collapse in the rear of the third story wall, Kime said at the time.

This article originally appeared on Hanover Evening Sun: DNA testing identifies body found in Gettysburg fire