Last Updated on January 6, 2023 by CCAR Staff
The Coroner’s Office on Friday identified the driver who was killed in the crash that started one of two recent fires in the San Gabriel Valley.
Michael Spengler, 53, died of multiple blunt force injuries and thermal burns after his pickup went over the side of Highway 39 near Morris Dam on June 20, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner – Coroner. The coroner’s website doesn’t list a city of residence for Spengler.
Authorities said the pickup burst into flames which spread and grew into the Reservoir fire.
About 90 minutes later, a second fire broke out in Duarte which would become the Fish fire. The cause of the Fish fire is still under investigation.
The two fires are called the San Gabriel Complex fires. Authorities have not updated the information on the San Gabriel Complex fires which still show Thursday’s figures of 96 percent containment for the two fires and a total 5,399 acres burned. The Reservoir fire burned 1,146 acres and the Fish fire
4,253 acres.
There were 1376 homes in Duarte and Azusa evacuated at the height of the fires. No structures were damaged but two firefighters suffered minor injuries.
