39 F
San Benito
March 29, 2024

Coroner yet to ID bodies from Paicines trailer fire

Authorities are continuing to work on identifying three bodies found in a camping trailer along Panoche Road, while Calfire clarified that the local fire department would handle the investigation into a cause.

An adult female and two children died Monday in the fire to a camping trailer in the 20000 block of Panoche Road in Paicines, according to the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.

At 10:30 p.m. Monday, the sheriff’s office responded to a Calfire Incident labeled the Panoche Fire where authorities found the bodies of an adult woman, toddler and infant, the sheriff’s office reported Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Calfire spokesman David Clark said the state agency was not overseeing the investigation and that the Hollister Fire Department would handle it.

Clark said Hollister fire responded first to the fire, which then spread into becoming a larger grass fire.

“They are the ones in charge of the investigation of the trailer, the vehicle, the refuge, anything on the property,” Clark said.

He said once a fire blows into the state jurisdiction, such as hillsides, “that then becomes Calfire’s responsibility.”

A Hollister fire battalion chief could not be reached Wednesday to comment on the investigation. The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office is acting as the coroner and initially pointed questions on the investigation to Calfire.

Capt. Eric Taylor with the sheriff/coroner said the agency Wednesday had yet to definitively I.D. the bodies and is working with the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s Office to do so.

SOCIAL MEDIA

5,035FansLike
272FollowersFollow
1,077FollowersFollow