Crime & Safety

UPDATED: Two Bodies Discovered After Penngrove House Fire

The bodies were found early Wednesday morning, according to authorities.

Investigators are still at the scene of a Penngrove house fire that is believed to have claimed the lives of an elderly mother and her son. The fire at 1361 Westgate Lane in unincorporated Sonoma County north of Petaluma was reported around 12:15 a.m. Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District firefighters found the bodies in the house after extinguishing the blaze.

Sonoma County Sheriff's Office investigators responded at 1:45 a.m. The bodies were burned beyond recognition and their identification has not been determined, sheriff's Lt. Steve Brown said.

Mike Jensen, who lives two houses away, said Elsie Grant and her son Gordon lived in the home. He said Elsie Grant is in her 90s and used oxygen to breathe. Her son is in his 60s, Jensen said.

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Jensen said the house is located at the end of the street and is overgrown by trees and bushes. A tarp was visible on the roof, he said.

"No one has pruned it for years. You can't see the house and cars. It's a dead end jungle," Jensen said. "They never came out of the house. I haven't seen them in years."

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Jensen said he woke up around 2:30 a.m. when he heard fire trucks and then saw smoke he thought was coming from his neighbor's house. Elsie's husband Earl died 15 years ago, he added.

Jensen said Earl Grant gave him some good-natured ribbing when he started his home construction projects early in the morning.

"When her husband was alive they were both friendly," Jensen said.

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