FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Staff from the Fresno County Sheriff -Coroner’s Office has been helping with recovery efforts on the Camp Fire.
California’s deadliest wildfire, the Camp Fire is more than 125,000 acres and has claimed the lives of 42 people.
The death toll is almost certain to rise as rescue and recovery workers sift through the ruins and ashes.
Over the weekend, Deputy Coroner Imron Ramos, Sheriff’s Lt. Robert Woodrum, and Deputy Coroner Jeff Gentry (above), were sent up to Butte County to aide in the recovery of fire victims.
“Our deputy coroners would go home to home, looking through the burned out rubble, sifting through to see if they could find any human remains,” said Tony Botti, the Fresno County Sheriff – Coroner’s Office Spokesperson.
“One of our deputy coroners – his team actually found two bodies,” said Botti
Botti says the three men will return on Wednesday and three other deputy coroners will head up and swap places with the current team.
The new team will stay there possibly until Saturday, November 17, in a supportive role with the DMORTs (Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams).
“Our deputy coroner will be in more in a supportive role, helping with any tasks needed by supervisors. For example, they could be locating families or assisting with examining evidence,” said Botti.
Botti said not only will they help bring closure to some families, they will gain valuable knowledge to bring back home in case first responders in Fresno ever find themselves in a disastrous situation.
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’S Liz Kern:
