VALDOSTA — A 66-year-old man suffered life-threatening burns in an incident Saturday, but Valdosta police still can’t say for sure how he got them.

About 9:25 a.m. Saturday, Valdosta police and firefighters and Emergency Medical Services personnel from South Georgia Medical Center responded to a vacant lot in the 1600 block of West Savannah Avenue, after someone called E911 to report that a male was on fire.  

First responders were on the scene within a couple of minutes, police said on Wednesday, and they found a 66-year-old male with burns all over his body. The man was responsive and able to communicate with first responders, police said.

He was transported to SGMC and then medically transported to a specialized burn hospital.

VPD detectives and crime scene personnel responded to investigate because of the extent of life-threatening burns the man suffered.

Based on the preliminary investigation, it appears that the male was sitting near a burn barrel that had recently had a fire inside, police said. They spoke with witnesses who stated that they had observed the male, by himself, sleeping in a chair beside the barrel approximately an hour and a half earlier. 

Items collected from the scene have been sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations Crime Laboratory for analysis.

The area where the man was found is known for people to gather around the barrel and socialize at all times of the day, police said. 

Detectives are seeking any other witnesses in the area who may be able to provide information on what occurred.  

 If anyone has any further information on this case or any other cases, please contact the Valdosta Police Department Bureau of Investigative Services at 229-293-3145, the crime tip line at 229-293-3091, or file a tip online at www.valdostacity.com/police-department.