"The Wire" star Bobby J. Brown was drinking alcohol before he died in a Maryland barn fire, TMZ has learned.

Brown consumed several alcoholic beverages prior to his death at his home in Chaptico, MD, on February 24, 2026, according to an autopsy report obtained by TMZ. However, the actor tested negative for drugs.

The report also states that Brown suffered catastrophic, life-threatening burns that went deep into his skin and tissue. In addition, carbon monoxide levels in his blood reached 71 percent, the report says.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Maryland ruled that Brown died accidentally as a result of smoke inhalation and diffuse thermal injury -- which is tissue damage caused by excessive heat. 

Brown was renowned for his role in "The Wire" as Officer Bobby Brown ... but he also had prominent parts in "Law & Order: SVU" and "We Own This City."

He was 62.