question
A) Several people were burned to death in the fire.

B) Several people burned to death in the fire.

Question 1: Do they mean the same thing?

Question 2: What's the difference between them? ( were burned vs burned )

Question

question
A) Several people were burned to death in the fire.

B) Several people burned to death in the fire.

Question 1: Do they mean the same thing?

Question 2: What's the difference between them? ( were burned vs burned )

Answer

Q1: I think you're over-analysing it. There's little difference between your examples, and if it mattered, they would have written it in full.
Q2: Yes, I think that any of those would do.