July 23, 2003

PRESS RELEASE
To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Asst. to the Fire Chief
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2411, page: 675-2137

Man Dies in Morning Car Fire

A Shreveport man was found dead this morning inside of a van parked in the 4100 block of Carver Street after firefighters extinguished a fire that had engulfed the vehicle . . .

Shreveport fire officials have identified the deceased as 51-year-old George White, who was using the full-sized Chevy van as a primary residence. Shreveport 911 dispatchers received the call reporting the fire at 3:38 a.m. by an area resident. Relatives said that White had been using the van, parked in a vacant lot with several other vehicles, as a home for about eight months after being evicted from his previous residence.

Fire investigators said that the fire appears to be accidental but are not ruling out other possibilities pending the Coroner’s report on the exact cause of death. White’s body was found lying across the middle of the van with his legs outside of the vehicle’s two open side doors. There was no external power source to the van which had a television, mattress and several aerosol bottles inside. White was said to be disabled and a wheelchair could be seen in the lot and a crutch was found close to the van. ###