BERLIN — The man killed in a Berlin house fire Sunday was a 73-year-old retired boilermaker with a large family and, according to his brother, was a “damn good man.”

Berlin fire officials Monday positively identified Edward R. Wedge, a longtime resident of 16 Williamson Avenue on the north end of the city, as the victim of a midday fire Sunday in his garage at that home.

Greg Wedge, one of his four sons, said Monday that his dad was working on a pickup truck in the garage when the fire broke out.

“Something went drastically wrong,” said Russell Wedge Sr. of Gorham, Edward Wedge's brother.

Edward Wedge, who went by his middle name, Ronnie, died of accidental smoke inhalation, according to New Hampshire Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Andrew.

“The findings were entirely consistent with him not being able to get out of the garage,” Andrew said Monday evening by telephone from his Concord office.

Ron Wedge was born on Long Island, N.Y., in 1938, according to Greg, 29, his youngest son. But he lived most of his life in Berlin, and he and his wife, Karen, lived at the Williamson Avenue address for nearly three decades, moving there when Greg was 1 year old.

“He worked as a boilermaker from 1968 to 1992, and my brother, Ron, and I both became boilermakers, too,” Greg said Monday.

Asked how his mom was doing with the shock of having her longtime husband die suddenly, Greg replied, “She's dealing with it.” He said his mother spent part of Monday afternoon at a funeral home making preparations for her husband's services. They were married Aug. 25, 1979.

“I know he was working on the bed of an old pickup truck,” in the garage, his brother said, replacing the bed with a new one.

Greg Wedge — who last saw his father two days ago — said rumors were rampant in the area that there had been an explosion in the garage. He said that wasn't true. He said someone may have overheard a family member cautioning firefighters that there may have been ammunition stored in the house, in case the fire spread there, and misinterpreted that information.

The garage, fully involved when Berlin firefighters arrived at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, was destroyed. They saved the home, but it sustained extensive smoke and water damage. Emergency personnel later recovered Ronnie Wedge's body from the garage.

The investigation by the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal's Office was continuing, Berlin fire officials said Monday night.

The Wedges' sons range in age from 29 to 48.

Greg, sounding somber Monday night as the tragedy sank in, agreed with his uncle that his dad was, indeed, a very good guy.

bookway@newstote.com