Woman’s remains found in burned trailer

Jim Blow/Valley Journal
Law enforcement officials look over the remains of a trailer house that was destroyed by an early-morning fire on Sept. 30.

By Kate Haake
Valley Journal
PABLO — The Lake County Sheriff's Department confirmed the remains of a 22-year-old woman, Trisha Plant, were found in the remnants of a trailer that burned to the ground on the morning of Sept. 30. Although the investigation continues, authorities have ruled out arson.
A fire investigation leads authorities to believe the residence at 42132 2nd Ave. E. in Pablo caught on fire from lit candles, according to Lake County Sheriff's Department detective Mike Sargeant who headed up the investigation.
Sargeant said the trailer was used as a flophouse for people passing through the area. The owner of the residence, Judy Harlow, had turned the power off in order to discourage this type of transient activities.
Sargeant believes Plant entered the trailer with another individual, whose name has yet to be released. He said that the man left the trailer when it was already on fire.
Neighbors called 911 around 3 a.m. and Lake County Dispatchers immediately notified the Ronan Volunteer Fire Department. When the firefighters arrived at 3:15 a.m., the trailer was completely engulfed by flames.
“We could see the flashes (from the burned power lines shorting out to ground) from just outside of Ronan,” Ronan Fire Chief Mark Clary said.