ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Oct. 1 update: The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office has identified the woman found dead in a port-a-potty Saturday as Denise Victoria McQuaig, 62, of St. Augustine. Read more here.
Investigators are continuing to search for answers after a woman was found dead inside a port-a-potty, after it caught fire.
They were out for about three hours on Monday, investigating the Saturday incident.
The latest police report said her death is still undetermined, and St. Johns County agencies are working to find out how the fire started.
Action News Jax reporter Meghan Moriarty spoke with neighbors who live on Horseshoe Road, where this all took place.
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The fire took place at a home that is under construction.
Chris Gouge lives across the street and called 911 around 6:45 A.M. on Saturday when he heard a loud boom and then saw flames.
“It sounded like a loud firecracker,” Gouge said. “I came out, and the port-a-potty was on fire, you know, 8-to-10 foot flames. Then I called 911.”
According to the newly released police report, four firefighters, who were the first to respond, said they saw the 8-foot flames too. Once the fire was put out, they noticed the remains of a body.
Gouge said this is a bizarre and disturbing situation for any neighborhood, but especially here.
“I’ve lived in this neighborhood for probably five to six years, and I have family that lives around the corner.” Gouge said. “They’ve lived here for 10-12 years, so we’ve never really had anything out of the ordinary happen. This is unfortunate.”
He and other neighbors add that there is not a homeless population in the area, either.
“We know everybody on the block here on Horseshoe Road, and nothing was reported or out of the ordinary,” Gouge said.
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On Monday, the St. Johns Sheriff’s Office, several detectives, the bomb squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATP) were on the scene.
An autopsy was performed Monday morning, as well. Officials are waiting to notify family before releasing any information.
We put in a request for the 911 call, but have not been given an exact time when it will be released.
Another neighbor says this is a quiet street where everyone knows each other. He says this isn’t a place where people who don’t live here just hang around https://t.co/dhntnLe24X
— Meghan Moriarty (@MeghanANjax) September 30, 2019
Cox Media Group
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