Update
Mary Esta’s daughter said Saturday she is grateful police and fire have renewed their efforts to try and find the remains of the 92 year old in the charred rubble of her Lakeside Road home.
“It really means a lot to the family that they are doing this and I just hope it will help bring closure to this terrible tragedy,” said Lisa Batstone, Saturday. “I was talking to the police yesterday and gave them some more information.”
That information related to rooms that were in the cement crawl space which may not have been initially apparent to searchers.
Penticton Fire Rescue investigators are back on the scene of Wednesday’s fire on Lakeside Road searching for the remains of Mary Esta who is believed to have died in the blaze.
Penticton Fire Chief Larry Watkinson said Friday night the search was resumed after “new information” came to light although he did not say specifically what that was.
“We’re going to be back again tomorrow (Saturday) and until we get through all the rubble piles in finer and greater detail,” said Watkinson.
Related: “Emotional roller coaster” for missing woman’s family
The search was initially called off Thursday after investigators were unable to locate the remains of Esta, 92, who family members still believe was in the building. The scene was turned over to the RCMP Thursday afternoon and was later released by police that day.
Esta’s granddaughter Lisa Batstone told the Western News Friday she felt fire officials may have missed something on that first day of searching and that the family was considering hiring a private investigator.
Related: Woman still unaccounted for
Searches of the surrounding area immediately after the fire and in the subsequent days from the ground and the air did not turn up any trace of the missing woman.
