Grim calculus: Coroners search for those killed in wildfire
PARADISE, Calif. — The blue of an unfurled body bag has become a gut-wrenching splash of colour in this apocalyptic landscape as pressure mounts to account for the hundreds of missing people after a wildfire roared through the California town of Paradise.
Coroner search teams, many accompanied by a chaplain, have fanned out across Paradise, visiting dozens of addresses that belong to people reported missing since last week’s explosive blaze levelled this town of 27,000. At least 42 people were confirmed dead, making it the deadliest in state history .
The searchers use a grim calculus at each scene: No cars in the driveway is good, one car a little more ominous and multiple burned-out vehicles equals a call for extra vigilance.
When a body is found, a call goes out, yellow police tape goes up — and the blue body bag arrives. In many cases, there is almost nothing left. The long bag looks almost empty as it’s carefully carried out of the ruins and placed in a black hearse.