Full Notification

CASE NUMBER: 18-00535, 536, 537, 538        
DATE:                  6/4/2018
LOCATION:         20000 Block Panoche Rd, San Benito County, CA                  
TYPE:                 Coroner case related to CalFire Incident

INFORMATION:
 
On June 4, 2018, at approximately 2230 hours, the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to assist on a CalFire Incident labeled the Panoche Fire.  This was a separate incident from the Airline Fire and the Eastern Fire that are also burning in San Benito County.  Please visit http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents for more details on all three incidents.  
 
During the firefighting operation, firefighters located what appeared to be a deceased adult in what appeared to be the remains of a camping trailer on the property.  The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office Detective/Coroners were called to the scene.  Once on-scene, the detectives located the remains of what are believed to be an adult female, a toddler and an infant.  Detectives processed the scene and took custody of the decedents at approximately 0430 hours on June 5, 2018.  Identification and notification of next-of-kin is being attempted currently.  No further information will be released on the decedents at this time.
 
Please note CalFire is investigating the origin and cause of the fire.  The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office has the role of Coroner, only, and is not investigating the incident.  Please direct questions related to the fire to CalFire BEU San Benito-Monterey Unit.
 
Identities of the decedents will be released by this office once we are able to do so.
 
This is an active incident, please be patient for a response from CalFire.  This office is releasing this statement to the media as it has been requested by multiple media outlets.
 
BY: Captain Eric Taylor
DATE: 6/5/2018