Authorities reached out to the public Friday for help in identifying a man who died in a fire at a South Bay strip mall last winter. Early on the morning of Feb. 21, firefighters responded to reports of flames coming from inside a commercial trash bin at The Galleria shopping center in the 2700 b lock of East Plaza Boulevard in National City. They found the man dead inside the enclosure, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office. Due to the extent of the burn injuries he suffered, and the fact that he had no identification or personal items in his possession, investigators have been unable to identify the decedent. The night before his body was found, however, a surveillance camera captured video images of a person in dark pants, a hooded sweatshirt and red slippers climbing into the refuse container. An anthropological examination suggested that the man may have been African American, likely between his late 30s to late 40s and approximately about 5 feet, 5 inches tall. No other information was available. Anyone who might be able to help identify him is asked to call the Medical Examiner’s Office at 858-694-2905. ...read more read less