Man Dies in Wayne County, West Virginia House Fire

PRICHARD, W.Va. (AP) -- Fire investigators continue to search for why a Wayne County house burst into flames early Monday, killing a 40-year-old man.

The victim, whose identity has not been released, is believed to be the state's 14 fire fatal this month, said Assistant State Fire Marshal Paul Ritchie. The man's body was found near the house's back door.

Prichard Volunteer Fire Department officials were alerted to the fire about 4 a.m. Monday. The fire department is about a quarter of a mile from the house.

''You wish there was an earlier dispatch or someone would have noticed it just a little bit earlier. Then maybe instead of a defensive attack, we may have been able to do a rescue attack,'' said Prichard Assistant Chief Matt Roberts.

The fire is believed to have started in a bedroom.