Man found outside house where 2 firefighters perished died of gunshot wound, coroner says

• By Jim Deegan/ LehighValleyNews.com

A man found outside the Schuylkill County home where two firefighters perished last week died of a gunshot wound to the head, the coroner said Monday.

The body of Christopher Kammerdiener, 35, a resident of the home in the 1100 block of Clamtown Road, was found in woods behind the house Wednesday as dozens of firefighters battled the blaze, authorities said.

• Christopher Kammerdiener died of a gunshot wound, the coroner said
• A ruling on his manner of death is pending a police report
• Kammerdiener lived in the home where two firefighters died battling a blaze Dec. 7

Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan said he ruled Kammerdiener died of a gunshot wound to the head. Moylan said he has yet to issue a ruling on the manner of death, pending a report from township police.
Township police did not immediately return a message.

The Morning Call, citing police, said Kammerdiener had a self-inflicted wound.

Township police and a Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal are investigating the blaze, which authorities have labeled suspicious.

Trapped in the fire were two Lehigh County volunteer firefighters—Marvin Gruber, 59, and First Assistant Fire Chief Zachary Paris, 36, of the Community Fire Company of New Tripoli.

They were pronounced dead Wednesday at St. Luke’s University Health Network’s Miners Campus in Coaldale.

Funeral services for the firefighters are set for Saturday at Northwestern Lehigh Middle School in New Tripoli.