Fire claims singer's childhood home

LEIGHTON (AP) — An early morning fire that razed the childhood home of soul singer Percy Sledge was the work of an arsonist, investigators with the state fire marshal's office said Tuesday.

The fire also destroyed a second house and heavily damaged a third.

State Fire Marshal Ed Paulk said Tuesday that initial reports indicate a house belonging to an uncle of the singer was the first structure to catch on fire, and was intentionally set.

"It appears the fire at the other houses spread from the first one," he said.

The Sledge house was in the middle of two houses that were involved in the fire.

Sledge, who gained popularity with the 1966 hit, "When a Man Loves a Woman," moved into the home when he was 1 year old. He said no one had lived in the house since his mother died in 2002.

He lives in Baton Rouge, La.

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