Man found dead in Delta trailer fire

DELTA — Emergency responders discovered the burned body of a man in a trailer after an electrical fire raged through the residential unit Monday afternoon.

Ricky Gordon Searle, 48, was found dead in the bedroom of his trailer in a rural area just outside Delta, at about 4500 S. 2000 West, according to Millard County Sheriff Robert Dekker.

Neighbors called 911 at 3:22 p.m. and reported flames coming from the trailer's windows.

Fire detectives believe the blaze started from an electrical malfunction in a wall or ceiling, Dekker said.

Searle, who was "probably asleep" when the fire started was so severely burnt in the fire, initial responders couldn't tell his gender or age, Dekker said. Authorities are making arrangements to send the body to the state medical examiner's office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Sheriff officials don't suspect foul play.

Family members were at a grandparent's birthday party "not too far away" when the trailer burned and Searle was the only one at home when the fire started, Dekker said.

— Jacob Hancock