BASS LAKE – Firefighters and CHP were called out to a vehicle fire near Bass Lake this evening, but when they arrived, there was no driver to be found.
Just after 6 p.m., reports came in of a car on fire on Road 222 near Road 274 in front of the Ridgecrest subdivision on the north end of the lake.
When the first unit arrived at scene, the Honda sedan was fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters quickly doused the fire, which spread only a few feet into the dry vegetation of the turnout where the car was parked.
A resident of Ridgecrest said he had returned home at 6 p.m., and noticed the car parked there with a man in the driver’s seat, but couldn’t really give a good description. He said that a few minutes after he went into his house, he heard a small boom, then loud sounds like gunshots, but figured it was shooting at the nearby gun range.
Another witness reported seeing a man in a plaid shirt walking away from the scene and hitchhiking on Road 222 over Chepo Saddle, but it is not known if that individual had anything to do with the incident.
At the time of the fire, the car had not been reported stolen and is registered to someone in Raymond. Law enforcement is making contact with the registered owner to see if they know where their vehicle is.
The incident remains under investigation.
Special thanks to Amanda Brouillette for the video:
Car fire Bass Lake, CA
Posted by Amanda Brouillette on Monday, October 22, 2018
