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Suicide Possible In Berks County House Fire Death

BOYERTOWN, Pa. (AP) -- A body has been recovered from the burning remains of a Pennsylvania home where officials say a suicidal man claimed to have set the fire and held firefighters at bay with a gun.

It was not immediately clear if the body was that of the man who set the fire but officials at the scene said the man's wife and daughter were safe.

Authorities who responded to the scene early Thursday say the man claimed he set the fire and planned to kill himself. Firefighters were forced to keep their distance from the Pike Township, Berks County home after the man fired shots into the air.

Officials say the fire also caused ammunition inside the home to explode.

A coroner was at the scene Thursday morning.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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