34-Year-Old Woman Died Of Smoke Inhalation In Manchester RV Fire

MANCHESTER, NH - The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office released the identity and cause of death of the woman who perished in an RV/camper fire on High Street.

Manchester Firefighters arrived just before 10:30 p.m. Sunday and found a vehicle heavily engulfed in fire, and worked to extinguish the flames, When the fire was knocked the body of a woman was found inside.

An autopsy positively identified the woman as 34-year-old Chandel Vanenburg, who was believed to be homeless at the time of her death.

The cause of death was determined to be smoke inhalation and the manner of death is pending further investigation. Manner of death can be accidental, homicide, or suicide, at this time that investigation is ongoing.

Immediately after the fire was extinguished investigators from the NH Fire Marshals Office, and Manchester fire and police began interviewing people in the area and reviewing surveillance footage.

Investigators said they found several propane tanks ranging in size inside the camper. Sources say one of those propane tanks appears to have been connected to a heating device, but that has not been confirmed by officials.

Several people in the area at the time of the fire shared that they saw a barefoot man running from the vehicle. The vehicle according to sources is not owned by Vanenburg, but the identity of the owner has not been released.

Manchester has been plagued by abandoned vehicles including campers being used to live in throughout the city. Vehicles are outfitted with makeshift heating setups to keep the occupants warm and attract multiple people to each vehicle.

Earlier in December Manchester Police Commissioner Manny Content brought the concern of the campers up at a commissioners meeting. Content was advised that police are challenged with the removal of these large vehicles because towing companies don’t want to remove them due to several concerns.

Once the city has met the parameters to be able to remove the vehicles the tow companies are notified. The issue they face is many of these campers have toilets inside them with human waste that is a hazard. If the tow company removes the vehicle from the street and the owner does not claim it, the tow company has to pay the State of New Hampshire a fee to have the vehicle ownership transferred.

If the tow company becomes the owner after filing the paperwork with the state, the vehicles have little resale value. Many of the older vehicles are filled with materials including asbestos and are considered hazardous waste that can cost thousands of dollars.

Content was told The city only offers the tow companies $500 to $1,000 making it a financial liability to the tow company. One tow operator not currently on the official tow list suggested the city pay the tow companies to remove them from the city streets and place them at the city landfill. The city could then sell them, or dispose of them. The concern is that more people will come to Manchester and park on the streets if nothing is done.

Homeless encampments and the growing population has been an ongoing discussion in Manchester. Several people have died in the encampments, and several fires have had to be extinguished during the year.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news