LANCASTER, Ohio -- Lancaster fire crews made a startling discovery late Wednesday after they extinguished a fire in a van at a local gas station.
Just before 11 p.m. Wednesday, Lancaster police responded to a 911 call of a van on fire at the Speedway gas station located at 1470 E. Main Street.
According to police, as fire crews put the fire out, they found a man inside the front compartment of the van.
The man, identified as 33-year-old Russell Cordle Jr., was taken to Fairfield Medical Center and then to The Ohio State University Medical Center with burns on more than 90 percent of his body.
Fire and police officials continue to investigate the fire, but said they believe Cordle may have set the fire himself.
Surveillance video from the area shows Cordle entering the gas station and calmly pre-paying for five gallons of gas, a pack of Marlboro Lights and then walking out.
Cordle is seen pumping the gas -- not into the gas tank -- but into the passenger-side window.
Then, Cordle gets back into the van and lights a cigarette.
Glenn West says he saw the whole thing happen.
"As we were walking towards (the van), the inside of the car was on fire first," West said. "Then as we were walking closer, they were pulling someone out of the van. They checked the vitals and they just covered them up."
"At this point, it's being investigated as a potential accident or a potential homicide," says Lancaster Police Lt. Scott Cox. "We don't really know at this point as far as what happened. We're still trying to piece together the information that what led up to this incident."
When the fire was first noticed, employees at the gas station immediately cut off the gas supply.
Police have ruled the fire as an act of arson, but don't expect charges to be filed.
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