Quote:

Dale,
I am now going to suggest that, for all you know, the poor guy could have been "afire".



I'm following this mystery and I'm puzzled. If the man would be afire wouldn't it say "could not help in stead of "would not"?
I can imagine they could not help someone "afire",
but would not help?
Wouldn't you help someone who is afire? (if it means what I think it means). Or is afire not the same thing as on fire? ('-')?