Fire investigators spent Saturday working to determine what sparked a blaze on Mobile’s Houston Street that left one man dead overnight.
Firefighters with the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department were called to the 900 block area near Houston Street, between Dublin and Sligo streets, just before 8:30 p.m. Friday after reports of flames on the property. Crews arriving on scene could see fire visible from behind the home and found a backyard shed “fully involved” in flames, according to MFRD spokesman Steve Huffman.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control within about 15 minutes, Huffman said. Once crews were able to get inside the charred structure, they discovered a man dead. Huffman said the property’s homeowner told investigators the man had been living in the shed.
Authorities have not released the man’s identity, and Huffman said investigators had not yet determined whether foul play played any role in the fire as of Saturday. Fire investigators were continuing to examine the scene to pin down a cause.
Structure fires involving detached sheds, garages and other secondary buildings converted into makeshift living spaces have drawn increased attention from Mobile fire officials in recent years, particularly in older neighborhoods where such structures sometimes lack proper wiring, ventilation or smoke detection. Fire investigators typically look closely at electrical systems, heating equipment and any combustible materials stored nearby when determining a cause in cases like this one.
The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department has not released additional details about the victim or the circumstances that led to him living in the shed. Residents in the Houston Street area were left with a scorched structure and a lot of questions Saturday as investigators combed through the scene.
MFRD urged residents citywide to ensure that any outbuildings used for storage or habitation have working smoke detectors and to avoid using space heaters or open flames near flammable materials, a common contributing factor in residential fires investigated by the department.
No further updates on the cause of the fire had been released as investigators continued their work into the weekend.