LUTHER, OKLAHOMA (AP) -- Residents sifted through burned belongings Saturday and found little that was salvageable after a roaring wildfire that may have been arson swept across Oklahoma.
Flames burned throughout the night as firefighters gained some control, and with daybreak on Saturday , a heartbreaking site of destruction was revealed. The fire destroyed nearly five dozen homes and other buildings in and around Luther.
The fire was one of several burning Saturday in Oklahoma, where a severe drought has also parched their landscape. Authorities suspect it may have been intentionally set. The Oklahoma County sheriff's department said it was looking for someone in a black pickup truck who was seen throwing newspapers out a window after setting them ablaze.
Department spokeswoman Mary Myers said there were "no arrests, no suspects" but deputies were "working around the clock" to find anyone responsible.
Gov. Mary Fallin toured Luther, hugging residents whose homes and belongings were destroyed by the fire that swept through treetops on 24 mph winds.
"It's heartbreaking to see families that have lost so much," Fallin said after talking with some who were milling around the still-smoking debris that had been their homes. "I gave them a hug, told them I was sorry."
The fire burned just over 4 square miles, including an area near the Turner Turnpike, which carries Interstate 44 between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The superhighway was briefly closed Friday and traffic was diverted onto old Route 66.
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