Burned Body Found In Vacant Lot In South Deering

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A burned body was found in a vacant lot Tuesday evening in the South Deering community.

At 7:25 p.m., the unidentified person was found dead in the 9900 block of South Houston Avenue in the Vets Park neighborhood after being severely burned near the vacant lot, police said.

A witness reported seeing smoke and thinking it was someone burning debris near the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks, which he said happens often. But it turned out a body was burning.

There was no one in custody Tuesday night.

Area Two detectives were conducting a death investigation.