A Lincoln County man was found dead beside railroad tracksFriday afternoon after being burned in a house fire on old Highway51 three days earlier, authorities said.

The body of Randy E. Vaughn, 41, of 2130 old Highway 51, wasfound by a hunter around 3 p.m. Friday, said Lincoln County DeputyCoroner Robert Tyler. Vaughn, who sustained burns to his chest andarm, was pronounced dead at the scene at 6 p.m.

Tyler said it was unknown how long Vaughn had been dead, but heprobably died Tuesday night following a trailer fire that afternoonat 2569 old Highway 51. Vaughn was last seen at his brother’strailer when the brother left for work Tuesday around 5:30 a.m.

An autopsy was to be performed Saturday, Tyler said. He addedthat foul play was not suspected.

The cause of the fire, which destroyed the home, wasundetermined, said Lance Falvey, Lincoln County Sheriff’sDepartment investigator.

Tyler said Vaughn’s partially clothed body was found about 2.5miles east of new Highway 51. He said the exact location was 265cross ties south of of railroad marker 777.

Falvey said family members filed a missing person’s report onVaughn Friday morning. He said family members had been waiting tohear from Vaughn following the fire.

“They were exhausting their resources in an attempt to findhim,” Falvey said.

In addition to a Friday search after the report filing, Falveysaid civil defense officials and volunteer firefighters hadsearched for Vaughn earlier in the week.

“No one knew he was injured in the fire, or the searches wouldhave been more intense and more fruitful,” Falvey said.

Falvey said the railroad track was about three-quarters of amile from old Highway 51 and the site of the fire. He said thesearches concentrated on the area east of the railroad tracks toold Highway 51.

The body was found west of the tracks. Falvey said a Departmentof Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks four-wheeler was needed to getVaughn’s body out of the woods.

Tyler said Century Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements,which are incomplete.