The Daily Star —
Town of Hamden resident William Lawson, who has been missing for three days following a fire that destroyed his home, was located Thursday night.
According to a media release from the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, a passing motorist saw Lawson, 47, near his burned-out residence at 866 Chambers Hollow Road and reported it to the sheriff’s office. Deputies went to the remains of the mobile home and found Lawson there.
Lawson told deputies he had walked out of the wooded area surrounding the home where he had been hiding since the fire Monday morning. He complained of chest pain and dehydration and was transported by the Walton Emergency Squad to the Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton for medical evaluation.
Hospital personnel did not have information concerning Lawson immediately available late Friday afternoon.
On Monday, the Delhi Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at the Chamber Hollow Road address.
According to officials, many area fire departments provided mutual aid to help bring the fire under control.
The blaze destroyed the mobile home and a separate fire destroyed a shed on the property.
Family members reported Lawson missing, and Delaware County deputies, fire department personnel and state police canine handlers using tracking and cadaver-detection dogs were unable to locate Lawson, the release stated.
Delaware County Emergency Services, deputies and the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control investigated the fires to determine a cause.
According to the release, investigators were able to determine that both fires were incendiary.
The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office said it anticipates an arrest will be made in the near future.
