Victim of fatal RV fire identified as 34-year-old woman believed to be homeless
Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS Manchester fire and police investigators inspect the interior of the RV that went up in flames Sunday night. A woman inside the RV died from smoke inhalation, officials said. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)
MANCHESTER — Investigators working the fatal RV fire said Wednesday an autopsy has identified the victim as Chandel Vanenburg, who was apparently staying in the the Class A-style RV that was parked in front of 45 High St.
Vanenburg died of smoke inhalation, according to officials. The manner of her death is still under investigation.
Firefighters were called to the location around 10:30 Sunday night, and upon arrival found the RV mostly engulfed in flames.
Crews discovered Vanenburg’s body after knocking down the heaviest of the fire.
Investigators said they found several propane tanks of various sizes inside the camper. Sources say one of those propane tanks appears to have been connected to a heating device, but that has not been confirmed by officials.
Immediately after the fire was extinguished investigators from the state Fire Marshal’s office, and Manchester fire and police officials began interviewing people in the area and reviewing surveillance footage.
Several people in the area at the time of the fire said they saw a barefoot man running from the vehicle, but that information has not been confirmed by officials.
The vehicle, according to sources, is not owned by Vanenburg, but the identity of the owner has not been released.
–JEFFREY HASTINGS


