Sheriff: Man set Portola home fire, then killed himself and burned in fire

PORTOLA, Calif (KOLO) -It appears a man set the home of his estranged wife on fire in Portola, then killed himself and his body burned in the flames, the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Several fire agencies responded to a house fire Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at about 12:46 a.m. at 365 Third Ave. in Portola, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies arrived and found all occupants safely out of the home. Deputies evacuated neighboring homes.

People in the burned home told authorities that Kevin Taylor started the fire. He is the estranged husband of Christian Taylor, who lives in the home with her teenage son, the sheriff’s office said. Christian Taylor and her son were treated for minor burns at a hospital and later released.

Authorities started an arson investigation and began searching the Portola area for Kevin Taylor, the sheriff’s office said. Fire investigators found a burned body on the porch of the home, where the fire started.

The sheriff’s office has not been able to find Kevin Taylor and is doing an investigation to identify the body.

“At this time in the investigation, it is believed that Kevin Taylor started the fire at the residence and took his own life as a result,” the sheriff’s office said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 530-283-6300.

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