One found dead in Stone Canyon fire, officials have yet to confirm identity – Longmont Times-Call

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office confirmed there is one person still unaccounted for in the Stone Canyon fire, but said it could not yet confirm if that person was the body found in a house that burned in the fire.

According to a statement issued on September 11, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office detectives reported a missing 74-year-old man who lived in one of the homes that was destroyed by the fire.

Detectives followed all leads to find the missing man but were unable to find him, according to the release.

Human remains were found in a burned structure in the 2600 block of Eagle Ridge Road, however, officials said they could not yet confirm if the person was the one whose remains were found.

“We will not automatically conclude that the missing man and the unidentified person whose remains were found are one and the same,” the statement said. “We will do our due diligence and use all available scientific and investigative tools and resources to positively confirm the identity of the remains. We do not wish to release the name of the missing man until the identity of the deceased is confirmed, out of respect for the family of the deceased.”

The Chamber is not naming the listed owner of the property where the body was found as it has not yet been confirmed that he is the person living in the home.

Damage to the remains from the fire made it difficult to extract viable DNA, which is used to identify the deceased, according to the Boulder County Coroner’s Office.

“The integrity of bones is significantly compromised after a fire, making it extremely difficult to obtain usable DNA,” Boulder County Coroner Jeff Martin said in a statement. “Furthermore, locating a living family member for comparative DNA analysis can further complicate and delay the process. We are dedicated to overcoming these challenges and are using all available resources to assist in this identification effort.”

The Boulder County Coroner’s Office said the “significantly compromised” condition of the remains made identification difficult and explained that skeletal remains can undergo severe changes, including dehydration, fragmentation, discoloration and loss of organic material in fires.

The investigation into the cause of the Stone Canyon fire remains ongoing, according to the release.

Sheriff’s office officials said they have requested the assistance of trained fire investigators and are still awaiting their reports.

“We know that the identification of the person who died in the fire, as well as the cause of the fire, is of great interest to the community,” the statement said. “However, we will take all the time necessary to ensure that we do not publish incorrect information … our aim is to carry out a thorough investigation and to be respectful to the family who lost a loved one and to those who lost their houses in the fire. .”

Top 10 Stories of 2024: