This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Police have identified a man severely burned in a fire near a Provo convenience store as 22-year-old Sean Ryan Romero. But they still have many questions about how or why he was engulfed in flames.
Romero, of Orem, remains in critical condition after suffering burns on about 80 percent of his body in a fire that consumed a trash bin near a 7-Eleven store Monday afternoon. Provo police Lt. Matthew Siufanua said officers responded to the store at 545 Columbia Lane and found the man "fully engulfed" in flames.
Nearby witnesses were able to put out the blaze using fire extinguishers from the store, but the man had already been extensively burned by that time, Siufanua said.
Romero was conscious when he was taken to the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. He was later moved to the burn center at University Hospital in Salt Lake City. He was only able to tell emergency responders his age, but detectives identified Romero after receiving several tips from the community and neighboring agencies.
Provo police and the Provo Fire Marshal's Office are jointly investigating the incident. They are still trying to determine how and why the fire started, and do not expect to finish the investigation for several weeks, according to a news release.
Provo fire Chief Gary Jolley said the man suffered "devastating injuries."
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Provo Fire Marshals Office at 801-852-6339 or the Provo Police Department at 801-852-6210.
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