Lee County shed being used as a home catches fire. Man found dead
An Opelika man was found dead Sunday in a storage shed being used as a home after first responders were dispatched to a structure fire, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office announced.
The sheriff’s office received a 911 call in reference to a possible victim of the fire in the 200 block of Lee Road 712, according to the LCSO’s news release. Personnel from the Beauregard Volunteer Fire Department, the Southwest Volunteer Fire Department and the Salem Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene along with LCSO deputies.
“Entry was made into the shed,” the news release said, “and deputies attempted to search for a victim but were not able to make a full entry due to the fire and smoke.”
After the fire was extinguished, WC Hawkins, 49, of Opelika was found dead, according to LCSO, and investigators from Lee County and the Alabama Fire Marshal’s Office arrived at the scene.
“Preliminary investigative results do not indicate that foul play was involved,” the news release said. “It appears that the fire started from two to three space heaters that were connected to the same electric circuit. The Lee County Coroner’s Office was notified and took possession of Mr. Hawkins, and he will be taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for a postmortem examination.”
Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the LCSO at 334-749-5651 or Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP 7867.
