UPDATE (12:58 p.m.) –

Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon says 52-year-old Jeffrey Anderson was found deceased inside his apartment in the 600-block of West Schwartz Street in Salem, where just after midnight Tuesday, Salem police, Salem firefighters, and EMS responded to a report of an explosion and fire.

Cannon says Anderson was a Disabled Veteran who apparently lived alone in the apartment.

ORIGINAL –

SALEM — The Marion County Coroner’s Office is investigating the overnight death of a Salem man.

Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon says that just after midnight Tuesday, Salem police, Salem firefighters, and EMS responded to a report of an explosion and fire in an apartment unit in the 600-block of West Schwartz.

Once on the scene, it was determined a victim was inside, with apparent fatal injuries. The victim was pronounced deceased on the scene by investigators from the Coroner’s Office.

Fire officials say upon their arrival at the Golden Acres housing complex they found heavy fire was showing.

Salem police helped evacuate nearby units in the complex. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the single unit but others did suffer some smoke damage.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Office is assisting with the investigation, to determine the cause of the explosion and resulting fire.

Cannon says a forensic autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday to determine the exact cause of the victim’s death.

The identity of the victim is being withheld pending notification of family.

Odin firefighters provided mutual aid and United Medical Response was also on scene. Firefighters cleared the scene after about two hours.