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Hunt still on for fire victim's kin
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Forsyth County News

Authorities still are searching for the family of a 64-year-old man who died about two weeks ago in a mobile home fire in south Forsyth.

Forsyth County Deputy Coroner Ted Scarborough identified the man as Dennis Downey of 6350 Old Atlanta Road.

Citing an autopsy report, Scarborough said Downey died of smoke and soot inhalation in the Sept. 25 incident.

Downey had been out of work for about six months. Scarborough said Monday he has received calls from some of the man's former co-workers.

Those calls led to conversations with the human resources department of one of Downey's previous long-term employers.

"He was vague when filling out his applications and did not list any specific information," Scarborough said. "And at this point we hear he might have had a son.

"[Downey] may have been from Pennsylvania, he may have been from Connecticut," he said. "We have a lot of vague information and nothing specific."

Scarborough has said previously that the coroner's office will hold Downey's body for a month or two. At that point, if nobody has come forward, he will be buried in a pauper's grave.

Officials think Downey was alone when the fire broke out. No other injuries were reported in the incident.