Manner and cause of death released in fatal fire

The four people who perished in a March blaze in Emmaus borough succumbed to smoke and fire.

Press releases from the Emmaus Police Department and the County of Lehigh Office of the Coroner Oct. 2 noted the cause of death for Lena Adamo, 56, David Jenkins, 65, Melissa Twining, 48, and Montana Twining, 16, was "determined to be smoke inhalation and thermal injuries."

Melissa Twining and Montana Twining were mother and son. The teen attended Emmaus High School. Jenkins was a friend of the Twinings. The Twinings lived in an apartment on the third floor.

Adamo lived in the apartment building with Bobby Taylor, her partner of close to four decades, according to news reports in The Press newspapers. Adamo and Taylor shared a second floor apartment.

The manner of death for Melissa and Montana Twining, Jenkins, and Adamo was determined to be an accident.

The fire happened at 36-38 S. Fifth St., March 17. The cause of the fire is undetermined, according to Emmaus Police.

The apartment building fire broke out in the late morning and continued for several hours. The fire was so intense firefighters evacuated the building for a time because of flames and threat of building collapse. Fire victims lost everything in the blaze.

Investigators determined the fire likely started on the third floor in the rear bedroom and the attic space area immediately above the bedroom.

The investigation included the Emmaus Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police Troop M. Fire Marshal Unit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lehigh County Coroner's Office and the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office.

Anyone with additional information concerning the fire is asked to contact the Emmaus Police Department at 610-967-3113.