Fatal House Fire on Central Coast, June 2

News release from the Lincoln Co. Sheriff’s Office.  On May 29, 2014 at about 3:20 in the morning the Newport Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a house fire on Johnston Lane located about 3 miles east of Newport off of Yaquina Bay Road.  The Newport Fire Department reported locating a body in remains of the home and notified law enforcement.  The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office detective division responded and took charge of the death investigation with the assistance of the Lincoln County Fire Investigations Team.  The State Police State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Oregon State Police Arson Unit responded for the purpose of conducting an investigation into the cause and source of the fire.  Due to the extent of fire damage to the home the source and cause of the fire was undeterminable, nothing suspicious was located.  The death investigation revealed that the sole resident of the home Patrice Passino, age 61 of Newport, died as a result of the fire along with her dog which was found close by.