Body Found In Vegetation Fire Off Cajalco Road, Officials Report

MEAD VALLEY, CA — A person's body was found among a vegetation fire off Cajalco Road early Friday and the death is now under investigation by the sheriff's department, the Riverside County Fire Department reports. The person, whose identity was not immediately available, was discovered shortly after the blaze was spotted — around 5:32 a.m., according to fire officials.

"Firefighters arrived on scene of a large spot of vegetation on fire, burning at a slow rate of spread in heavy fuels," Department Spokeswoman April Newman said. "One fatality was found within the burn area."

The Mead Valley fire burned a section of land in the area of Cajalco Road and Haines Street, Newman said.

Some 14 firefighters put out the flames by 5:50 a.m., she said.

Just Wednesday, two people were found dead in a fire in nearby Winchester. That case is also still under investigation.

— Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone