Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Tragic Fire Claims Two Lives in Cathedral City, California
Authorities in Cathedral City, California have identified the victims of a devastating fire that occurred earlier this month at a commercial building that once housed the Elks Club. The 37-year-old woman, Josee Vanbuskirk, hailed from Wasilla, Alaska/Cathedral City, while the 51-year-old man, Danial Burr, was a resident of Palm Springs/Cathedral City. The Riverside County Coroner’s Office has been working tirelessly to notify the families of the victims, with all but one family being located at the time of the police statement.
The fire broke out at 67491 E. Palm Canyon Drive, near the Canyon Plaza Shopping Center, in the early hours of the morning. Despite the efforts of the Cathedral City Police Department, officers were unable to enter the engulfed building due to the heavy smoke and flames. Firefighters eventually managed to enter the structure and rescue two individuals, one of whom tragically succumbed to their injuries on the scene.
A third victim, Phillip Pape, 46, was previously identified by the Riverside County coroner’s office. Another individual, Jonathan Ochoa, 37, was rushed to Eisenhower Medical Center in critical condition. Unfortunately, two more bodies were discovered inside the building once the flames had been extinguished.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, as authorities work to determine what sparked the deadly blaze. The property, which spans nearly 18,000 square feet, was listed for sale on Zillow for over $3.5 million.
For anyone with information regarding the fire, the Cathedral City Police Department urges them to reach out to CCPD Arson Investigator Rick Osbourne via email at rosbourne@cathedralcity.gov or by phone at 760-770-0300.
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