Dad had drugs in system in fatal Lehigh fire

A father, who along with his 10-year-old son died in a January fire in Lehigh Township, had methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system.

Northampton County coroner Zachary Lysek identified the remains in the Jan. 21 fire at 1132 Blue Mountain Drive in Danielsville as Bruce Allen Miller, 37, of Lehighton, and his son, Bruce Alan Miller, of Hatfield.

Lysek said the cause of death for Miller Jr. is smoke inhalation with acute methamphetamine and amphetamine intoxication, while his son died of smoke inhalation.

“Based on the Lehigh Township fire marshal investigation, along with other experts that were involved, the cause and origin of the fire cannot be determined,” Lysek said. “Therefore, the manners of the deaths have been ruled undetermined.”

Township police and fire departments were dispatched at 12:47 a.m. to a reported explosion and fire at the home.

The fire was brought under control at about 3:20 a.m.

The home was a two-story farmhouse built in the early 1900s.