A man died last week from an accidental fire inside a self-storage unit in East Alton, Illinois. Multiple units at Stor-All were destroyed by the Feb. 22 blaze, according to sources.
First responders were called to 642 W. St. Louis Ave. around 1 a.m. Crews extinguished the inferno within an hour, then found a body in one of the charred spaces. The person was later identified as James M. Huch, 55.
During their investigation, detectives discovered that Huch, who was homeless, was dropped off at the facility just after midnight.
A woman associated with Huch, 68-year-old Paula Vinyard, was arrested on charges of obstructing justice after she allegedly provided false information during the investigation. Police didn’t comment further on Vinyard’s relationship with Huch or her involvement in the case. She’s in jail pending a $30,000 bond.
Sources:
KMOV, Major Case Squad Says Accidental Fire Led to Man’s Death at East Alton Storage Facility
Fox 2, Fatal Fire at Storage Facility Ruled Accidental; Woman Arrested
