Man dead after vehicle fire

Responding to a 911 call at 10:56 p.m. Friday, emergency responders found a dead man with extensive burns next to a burned-up pickup truck in the 8000 block of Highway 2 near Saginaw. The deceased man will not be named while the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office is waiting for the medical examiner to confirm positive identification.

According to a news release from the SLC Sheriff’s Office, it appears the 61-year-old man was driving his vehicle on his property when he collided with an unoccupied vehicle, a trailer, and a large sand berm before becoming stuck. At some point, the vehicle caught on fire. Shortly before 11 p.m., the reporting party went out to look for the male and discovered the burnt truck and the burnt body of the deceased male lying on the ground. She immediately called 911 and deputies responded, along with the State Fire Marshal, and members of the SLC Rescue Squad and Cloquet Area Fire District.

Information from the Medical Examiner’s Office indicated that the deceased male suffered extensive thermal injuries, smoke inhalation, and blunt force trauma, according to the news release, which stated that the injuries appear consistent with the damage to the vehicle and evidence found at the scene. Toxicology studies are still pending.

The vehicle was located on property belonging to the reporting party and the deceased. The matter is currently under investigation by the St Louis County Sheriff’s Office, State Fire Marshal, CAFD Fire Investigation Division and the Medical Examiner’s Office.

Based on the totality of the investigation to date, foul play is not suspected.