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Anne Heche at an event in March 2022
Photo:
Jordan Strauss / dpa
Forensic pathologists in Los Angeles County classify the death of US actress Anne Heche as an accident.
Heche died from smoke inhalation and burns, according to a West Coast County coroner's website.
In addition, the 53-year-old broke her breastbone as a result of "blunt trauma".
The injury can occur in frontal, serious car accidents.
The actress had a serious car accident in Los Angeles in early August.
She drove her car into a residential building in the Mar Vista district, whereupon the vehicle and house caught fire.
Heche was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, and a few days later doctors pronounced her brain dead.
For a short time, Heche was still connected to life-support equipment because of a possible organ donation, but these were switched off on Sunday evening (local time).
According to coroners, the Heche case is closed.
A full autopsy report is still being finalized, according to the AP news agency.
Role of cocaine and fentanyl not fully clarified
Investigators say narcotics were found in Heche's blood.
The Los Angeles Times recently reported that the drug cocaine and the narcotic fentanyl had been detected in a sample taken in the hospital.
However, it was unclear whether the fentanyl Heche had been administered as a painkiller after the accident.
According to the newspaper, after the brain death of the 53-year-old was determined, the police stopped investigating.
However, information and records about the accident would continue to be collected and included in the overall case, it said.
Heche is known for roles in films such as Donnie Brasco, Six Days Seven Nights, Wag the Dog and Volcano.
Her marriage to cinematographer Coley Laffoon ended in divorce in 2009.
Before her marriage, Heche dated talk show host Ellen DeGeneres for a while.
Heche leaves behind two sons.
fek/AP