Transient’s death in tent fire under investigation

ELKO -- Elko police are investigating a transient's death in a tent fire.

Police Capt. Will Lehmann told the Elko Daily Free Press that the man's body was found Thursday at a transient camp near the Errecart Bridge, a day after he suffered burns in the fire.

The transient's name was being withheld pending notification of family members.

Investigators believe the man died early Wednesday morning after making a fire inside the tent to keep warm. They say both the tent and man caught on fire, and he died a few yards away from the tent after trying to get away from it.

Friends told police that the man had a history of catching tents and other structures on fire because of similar warming fires he made.