Fallbrook fire victim identified

By: North County Times - | Sunday, January 21, 2007 8:19 PM PST ∞

FALLBROOK ---- A woman whose body was found in a bedroom closet after what authorities called a suspicious fire in her Fallbrook home was identified as a 32-year-old resident, an investigator for the county medical examiner's office said Sunday.

Melissa Maehler died after a fire that broke out at 12:26 a.m. Thursday in her home on San Jacinto Circle East Road, authorities said.

The injuries on Maehler's badly burned body were consistent with the determination that she died during the fire, the investigator said.

Responding firefighters found 58-year-old Bernard William Acuna, an 11-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl safe outside the home, North County Fire Protection District spokesman John Buchanan said Thursday.

Acuna told authorities he woke the two children when he realized there was a fire and got them to safety. He said he then realized that he did not know whether his wife was inside or outside, so he went back in to try to find her but was driven out by the flames, Buchanan said.

Acuna was hospitalized for treatment of burns on his hands.

An investigation is ongoing.

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pissy wrote on Jan 22, 2007 12:25 PM:Melissa I will miss you, I can't wait to see your smile again my friend, may ur suffering end, I will make sure to tell your baby all about the woman I gre up with. You will be missed my friend. BFF D

J wrote on Jan 23, 2007 2:20 PM:Melissa was a great friend of mine,and I will miss her dearly.She was such a beautiful person inside and out and I can't believe this happend to her!Does anyone have any information on a service for her?Her friends all want to be there for her!I love and miss you Melissa!J

CH wrote on Jan 26, 2007 2:17 PM:Melissa I will miss you dearly. I will cherish all the good times we have had and all our special memories. I will never forget your smiling face. I love and miss you! C

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