Deadly Tahoe fire still 'suspicious'

Autopsy results on Jeff Bursha, a 51-year-old South Lake Tahoe man found dead after his house caught fire, stated the real estate agent died of smoke inhalation, said El Dorado County Sheriff's Coroner Pete Van Arnum.

Bursha was found on the bathroom floor in his house at 861 Park Ave. after a fire charred the front of his home early Thursday morning.

Van Arnum said Bursha was slightly burned and blistered from the fire, but smoke inhalation was the fatal factor.

A toxicology report to determine if Bursha had drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of death will be completed in several weeks.

"We do it on every coroner's case just to cover all the bases," Van Arnum said.

Authorities looking into the fire labeled it suspicious and still consider it arson, as initially reported. They were vague on details Tuesday.

"It's a suspicious fire we believe was arson," said South Lake Tahoe police Sgt. Alex Schumacher.

A woman whom authorities say is Bursha's ex-girlfriend was questioned and released on Thursday. Police have not identified any suspects.

While the cause remains unknown, authorities are trying to pinpoint where it began.

"We're still trying to work with the fire guys to determine the origin of the fire," said Detective Mark Tappen.

"I don't want to comment on that any more, just to say we're still investigating."

Firefighters said the fire was easy to extinguish and only charred the front of the two-story house. When authorities searched the scene Thursday, the origin was believed to be near the front door.

A gas can was found on the porch. Rick Myers, a captain and fire investigator with the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department, ruled the can out on Thursday as a source, but police are still considering it.

"We don't know if it was involved or not," Schumacher said. "It was there (on the porch)."

Myers was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

"I guess the main thing I could say is we're still investigating it as a suspicious fire, possibly arson, and until we rule that out that's how were continuing the investigation. And we need to talk to anyone in that area," Schumacher said.

"They may not have seen anything that doesn't have any meaning to them, but it may help us in the investigation."

Those with information on the case are asked to call Tappen at (530) 542-6134 or Secret Witness at (530) 541-6800.