By Staff
Thomas Tingle
Record Managing Editor
Careless smoking materials thrown into a 5-gallon bucket ignited a fire that killed a Huntsville junkyard owner in his mobile home Monday morning.
Huntsville Fire and Rescue spokesman Chief Michael Sublett said Wilzie Hilliard, 74, of 763 Capshaw Road, was killed in the fire that started at 3:35 a.m. Sublett said the mobile home was fully involved when firefighters arrived on the scene.
According to Sublett, a woman staying in the mobile home with Hilliard, Barbara Ann Malone, 45, suffered first and second degree burns to her face, hands and arms. Malone was taken to Huntsville Hospital and released Monday.
Sublett said the mobile home and junkyard were fenced in and it hindered the firefighters from getting the fire out. Hilliard's body was found in his bedroom.
"The mobile home was old, so it didn't take long for it to go up in flames," Sublett said. "Upon our investigation, we found out that the 5-gallon bucket was located in the bathroom of the mobile home. Lit smoking materials were thrown into the bucket, which ignited and caused the fire."