Pearl River man killed in camper fire

By Suzanne Le Breton
St. Tammany News
Published on Friday, October 30, 2009 9:05 AM CDT

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A Pearl River man was killed early Wednesday morning when the camper he was living in caught fire and burned.

Shortly after 1 a.m. someone called Pearl River Police Department and reported a camper on fire in a yard on Hayes Road.

Fire District 11 was dispatched, and Chief Robert Crowe said they were on scene in less than three minutes, but it was too late.

“When we got there the sidewalls on the camper were already fully engulfed,” he said. “Those campers don’t take long.”

Firefighters were able to put out the fire. However, when looking for potential hot spots in what was left of the camper, firefighters discovered a body in the sleeper portion of the late-model camper.

James Hammons, who is believed to be approximately 30 years old, was living in the 18-foot-long camper, which he parked adjacent to his mother’s home at 650 Hayes Road.

The fire melted some of the siding on the house where Hammons’ mother was at home sleeping.

Crowe said the state Fire Marshal’s office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the fire along with the Pearl River Police Department.

He said the cause is still unknown, but added that this tragedy can serve as a reminder to everyone that this weekend Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend, and fire departments around the nation are encouraging people to change the batteries in their smoke detectors.

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Comments

1 comment(s)

laura wrote on Nov 3, 2009 3:54 PM:

" James was a wonderful person and he will be missed dearly. R.I.P James "

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