Authorities ID all three people killed in Cathedral City Elk’s Lodge fire
Authorities today identified an Alaksa woman and a Palm Springs man who were among the three people killed when flames engulfed a commercial building in Cathedral City that once housed the Elks Club over the weekend.
Josee Vanbuskirk, 37, of Wasilla, Alaska/Cathedral City and Daniel Burr, 51, of Palm Springs were identified by authorities on Thursday.
The third person, Phillip Pape, 46, of Cathedral City was previously identified.
The Cathedral City Police Department also identified the person who was injured by the fire as Jonathan Ochoa, 37, of Cathedral City. He was hospitalized with to Eisenhower Health in critical condition. On Tuesday, CCFD told News Channel 3 that he was transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.
The fire was reported at 7:05 a.m. Saturday, at 67491 E. Palm Canyon Drive, at or near the Canyon Plaza Shopping Center, according to Cathedral City police Sgt. Jose Nunez. Arriving officers found the structure engulfed in flames.
"As officers moved around the building, they could hear people inside,'' he wrote. "Officers attempted to enter the building, but due to the heavy smoke and flames were unable to enter the building.''
Cathedral City firefighters arrived and entered the building, where they located and removed two people and provided emergency medical aid, according to Nunez. One was taken to Eisenhower Medical Center in critical condition, but the other succumbed to his injuries on the scene.
Firefighters searched the building again after the flames were out and found that two other people had died inside the building, Nunez said.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
A listing on Zillow indicated the nearly 18,000-square-foot building was up for sale, listed at more than $3.5 million.
Anyone with additional information on the fire was asked to email CCPD Arson Investigator Rick Osbourne at rosbourne@cathedralcity.gov or call the department at 760-770-0300.
