Shocking Truth Revealed: What Really Killed The Wi...

Shocking Truth Revealed: What Really Killed The Wire Star Bobby J. Brown After Deadly Barn Fire?

Bobby J. Brown’s cause of death has been confirmed months after his fatal barn fire.

Brown’s cause of death was ruled as diffuse thermal injury and smoke inhalation. His manner of death was determined to be an accident, PEOPLE confirmed through the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Brown died on Feb. 24, after being caught in a barn fire, PEOPLE previously confirmed. He was 62.

Brown’s daughter, Reina, recalled learning of her father’s death in a late-night phone call.

“I was sound asleep. I had gone to bed about two hours before,” Reina told PEOPLE at the time. “My little sister [was] freaking out, saying that Dad’s gone and that he got caught up in a barn fire, and I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ ”

Bobby J. Brown in ‘We Own This City’.Paul Schiraldi/HBO via Everett

She recalled struggling to process the devastating news in the immediate aftermath.

“I literally went outside and put both my feet on my front walk,” Reina said. “It’s cold, and I stood out in my bare feet in a nightgown because I wanted to make sure I was really awake. I did that to make sure I was in actual reality and not dreaming this up, and then I did it for a grounding exercise.”

“I couldn’t believe it,” Reina added. “I was like, this isn’t real. And I still don’t even feel like it’s real.”

According to Reina, Brown called for a family member to bring him a fire extinguisher as the flames spread.

“Everybody is still trying to process it,” she said at the time. “It’s been difficult for all of us.”

“My dad was an amazing human being,” she added. “He was super awesome. He was a pillar in the community, and he’s going to be missed by a lot of people.”

Brown’s agent, Albert Bramante, also paid tribute following his death.

Bobby J. Brown in ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’.NBC

“Bobby J. Brown was an actor of immense talent and even greater integrity,” Bramante told PEOPLE in a statement. “He approached his work with a discipline and a passion that were truly inspiring to witness.”

“While his career included many notable performances, it was his unwavering dedication to the craft of acting that defined him as an artist,” he continued. “We are deeply saddened by this loss and ask for privacy for his family and loved ones during this time.”

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Brown built an impressive career both in and out of Hollywood. Before becoming an actor, he was a successful boxer who won five Golden Gloves championships.

After training under boxing trainer Carmen Graziano and pursuing a professional boxing career in New Jersey, Brown later shifted his focus to acting and moved to New York to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

He went on to build a notable screen career with roles in acclaimed projects including The Wire, The Corner, We Own This City, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Homicide: Life on the Street.

Brown also directed the documentaries Off the Chain, about the abuse of American pit bull terriers, and Tear the Roof Off: The Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic. According to his IMDb biography, he donated a third of the profits from Off the Chain to support animal welfare efforts through the Humane Society.