3 dead in Ole Miss fraternity fire

OXFORD, Miss., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Three students were reported killed Friday in a fraternity house fire at the University of Mississippi in Oxford.

The dead were identified as Jordan Williams, 20 of Atlanta, and William Townsend, 19, of Clarksdale. Missing and presumed dead was Howard Stone, 19, of Martinville, Va., The Jackson Clarion-Ledger reported.

The fire at the Alpha Tau Omega house broke out at 4:30 a.m. and burned for nearly five hours before it was extinguished.

More than 50 firefighters from two departments battled the blaze.

Officials said 20 fraternity members and their housemother were in the house when the fire broke out in the living area.

The cause of the fire and the amount of damage were not immediately determined.

"The entire student body will be pretty upset over this," said Ole Miss student body President Gordon Fellows. "We wish them (fraternity members) all the best and hope that everything is OK."