Storage building fire leaves one dead in Beauregard
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A Lee County man has died after a Sunday night fire.
The fire happened on Lee Road 712 in the Beauregard community of the county around 6:40 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026.
Beauregard Volunteer Fire Department, Salem Volunteer Fire Department, Southwest Volunteer Fire Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and EAMC ETS responded to the scene.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office says a storage shed being utilized as a home caught on fire. Deputies did make entry into the shed/home to attempt to search for a victim, but were not able to make full entry due to the fire and smoke.
Following a search after the blaze was extinguished, the victim was found. Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton says 49-year-old WC Hawkins II. was pronounced on scene at 7:10 p.m.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office says a preliminary investigation does not indicate that foul play was involved.
“It appears that the fire started from two to three space heaters that were connected to the same electric circuit,” officials say.
Lee County Investigators and an Alabama State Fire Marshall’s Investigator responded to the scene and will continue to investigate.
The coroner’s office will transport the body to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science Montgomery Medical Facility for a postmortem exam.
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