ATWOOD — Police and fire officials are investigating the death of an Atwood man found in his home Friday as an accident or the result of a medical issue.
Atwood Police Chief Rob Bross said Jeffrey Browning, 60, was discovered dead on the couch in his living room by his father.
Bross said Mr. Browning’s father stopped by his son’s house in the 300 block of North Main Street about 9 p.m. to check on him, as he occasionally did.
Bross said burn patterns showed the fire started on the couch but extinguished itself.
He said authorities are confident there was nothing suspicous or sinister about Mr. Browning’s death but they need the results of toxicology tests done at a Saturday autopsy to confirm what killed him.
“Everything points to accidental or medical,” said Bross.
Police and firefighters found cigars around the couch.
“The couch was more or less gone. There were things melted in the living room,” he said, adding the fire and fire damage was contained to the living room.
Bross said the Illinois State Fire Marshal is assisting Douglas County Coroner Joe Victor with the investigation.