Friday fires remain under investigation

By By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
May 16, 2004
David Armstrong was in critical condition at the Mississippi Burn Center in Greenville on Saturday after a fire at the TravelCenters of America truck plaza in Russell left him with third-degree burns over more than half of his body.
No information was available about Armstrong's age or place of residence.
The fire occurred about noon on Friday.
Lauderdale County Fire Coordinator Clarence Butler said three roofers were injured in the truck stop fire. Butler said he believes a chemical reaction ignited the rubber being used for the roof; the fire spread rapidly.
A separate fire that killed an unidentified man in a mobile home on Wright Spur Road near Toomsuba remains under investigation today, according to the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department.
Lauderdale County Coroner Clayton Cobler said an autopsy is scheduled for today at the Mississippi Mortuary in Pearl. He said law enforcement officers will then learn the man's identity and whether foul play was a factor in his death.
The fire occurred at about 11 a.m. on Friday. Cobler said the man who died in the fire was burned beyond recognition, making immediate identification impossible.