Body found in area burned by King City fire
KING CITY — One person has been found dead in the area burned by a wildfire started along the Salinas River in King City this week, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Friday.
The fire started Wednesday afternoon. As of Friday morning, the blaze was 90% contained. It burned about 90 acres in a riverbed area just north of downtown King City and south of the Highway 101 bridge.
Just before 5 p.m. Wednesday, shortly after flames broke out, King City police issued an evacuation order warning for areas southwest of River Drive and Rio Vista Drive between Broadway Street and Canal Street and west to the Salinas River. Officials opened an emergency shelter for potential evacuees at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds, which was open overnight.
Officials said that about 40 people living along the riverbed in homeless encampments were evacuated.
Chief Deputy John Thornburg explained that signs of a dead body were found along the riverbed Wednesday night but that the area was too hot for anyone to get close enough to confirm. It wasn’t until Thursday morning that the body was discovered in a “pit of sorts,” Thornburg said. The body was recovered Friday morning and has been turned over to the coroner.
Thornburg said that at this time, it is unknown whether the person found was burned during the fire or the body was there before flames broke out.
The investigation is ongoing. Investigators are seeking help from the public and asking anyone who may have been in or around the fire area late Wednesday afternoon to contact Detective Sgt. Bryan Hoskins at 831-755-3773 or Detective Arras Willson at 831-759-7203 to share any information about what they may have seen before the fire starting.