Whatcom crews discover deceased man while responding to house fire north of Bellingham
Firefighters discovered a deceased person while responding to a fire Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 502 E. Pole Road north of Bellingham.
The person was found inside a detached garage that had been burned out by the fire, according to North Whatcom Fire and Rescue Chief Jason Van der Veen. The deceased has been identified as Michael Zwieres, 55, by Interim Whatcom Medical Examiner Dr. Aldo Fusaro.
The cause of death is still being determined by the medical examiner office in an investigation being led by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office. The cause of the fire also remains under investigation.
Crews responded to the fire around 2:05 a.m. Oct. 1. Although firefighters were told it was already extinguished, they found it was still active when they arrived. The fire was small, and first responders had it under control within minutes, according to Van der Veen.
This story was originally published October 2, 2024 at 4:14 PM.
.jpg)