Four died and eight were injured in an early Friday morning mobile home fire south of Crenshaw on Highway 3 according to Panola County Emergency Management Director Daniel Cole.

Panola County Sheriff Otis Griffin who was also on the scene early Friday morning said a passerby, Monchelo Stokes, noticed smoke coming from the structure and stopped while blowing his horn.

 “He managed to wake some of them and got them out,” the sheriff said who added that Stokes also made the 911 call.

Cole said seven were transported to Tri-Lakes in Batesville and one was taken to the MED in Memphis. He did not know the condition of those injured.

 Griffin said the four bodies were recovered in a back bedroom and two males and two females.

An investigator from the State Fire Marshall’s office was on the scene as well as Panola County Sheriff’s Department Fire Investigator. Griffin said the location of fire was approximately 200 yards from the Panola-Quitman County line. The fire happened on the coldest night of the winter as temperatures had dropped to single digits for the first time.

 Crenshaw, Longtown, Pleasant Grove and Sledge Volunteer Fire Departments all responded to the fire according to Cole.

Stay connected to panolian.com and Tuesday’s print edition of The  
Panolian for further developments . . .