By Tessa Duvall
The Commercial Appeal
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Water still dripped from the roof near the blackened windows on the third floor of the red brick boardinghouse.
Windows had been shattered, and burned mattresses were tossed behind the building, along with other charred remnants of someone’s belongings.
Yellow fire-line tape blocked off part of Boyd Street near the scene of the blaze and fire engines were parked out front.
This was the scene after an early morning fire Monday at a three-story boardinghouse at 343 Boyd left one man dead.
Battalion Chief Keith Staples with the Memphis Fire Department said the man, who was found on the third floor, had not been positively identified. The sister, Ravonna Blue, however, identified the man as her brother, Tyrone McKinney, 49.
The cause of death will be determined by the Shelby County Medical Examiner.
The cause of the fire was also under investigation.
The call came at about 2:27 a.m., and firefighters were on the scene one minute later. The fire was under control at 2:58 a.m., according to the Fire Department.
Memphis Police helped with traffic control at the scene at 5:18 a.m. About 55 emergency personnel responded to the fire.
According to the fire department, the building did not have a working smoke detector.
Louise Love, who attends church at Temple of Praise Ministries next door to the boardinghouse, said people call the deceased man Baby T.
She came to the scene when she heard about the fire.
Love, of Olive Branch, said she didn’t know the man very well, but said he had been attending church at Temple of Praise Ministries for about four months.
About $30,000 worth of damage was caused to the structure, and $10,000 worth of personal belongings were damaged, according to the Fire Department.
The Shelby County Assessor’s website says the property is valued at $63,500 and that it is owned by Theron Jones.
Jones could not be reached for comment.
Several firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion, but none was taken to the hospital.
Copyright 2012 The Commercial Appeal, Inc.