Fire Near Transient Camp Lead to Discovery of Body

Four agencies today investigated the death of a woman in an area frequented by transients next to the Bolsa Chica onramp to the southbound San Diego (405) Freeway. 

The woman was found near a fire reported to the California Highway Patrol around 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Orange County Fire Authority Captain Steve Consialdi said.

As firefighters battled a "pretty intense" vegetation fire for around 20 minutes, a witness told CHP officers that a woman had been seen in the area when the fire started, he said.

Consialdi said that after a 5-minute search, firefighters discovered the body of a female burn victim.

A California Highway Patrol online log of the incident said a passerby reported that a transient named Wendy had been cooking in the area with propane. The passerby told CHP officers he heard an explosion, the log said.

Consialdi said the fire and death were being jointly investigated by the Westminster Police Department, the Orange County Coroner's Office, the Orange County Fire Authority and the California Highway Patrol.