Body of missing Fowler man recovered from digester at National Raisin Company facility

FOWLER, Calif. (KFSN) -- The assemblage of a Fowler antheral reported missing from a National Raisin Company installation was recovered Friday morning, according to police.

Fowler constabulary confirmed that Juan Patino's assemblage was retrieved by divers astatine astir 10 a.m. Friday. Authorities accidental the dive squad arrived astir 1 a.m., began preparations astatine 8 a.m., and entered the digester soon after.

Police said that erstwhile the squad arrived, they observed Patino's assemblage had floated to the aboveground wrong the digester. Special instrumentality was inactive required to safely scope and retrieve him.

Patino, 39, was past seen conscionable aft 1:10 p.m. Thursday, portion moving astatine the facility.

"Juan Patino, 1 of the employees that works here, was moving connected the installation plant, specifically past seen astatine the irrigation pond. He was actively pumping rainwater disconnected of a tarp. That was his past known location," said Fowler Police Chief Greg Gularte connected Thursday.

According to the chief, Patino had been assigned to region rainwater from the apical of the digester erstwhile helium someway fell inside.

Co-workers grew acrophobic erstwhile helium did not log backmost successful from the determination aft astir an hour.

"His conveyance that helium was utilizing to enactment connected the enactment tract was near successful beforehand of this area. His hard chapeau is determination and there's a teardrop successful the canvas screen of this h2o digester," Gularte said.

Fowler constabulary responded to a missing idiosyncratic telephone astir 2:30 p.m. Thursday. Fresno County Fire and Cal/OSHA assisted with the response.

"The chemicals that are wrong of that digester are precise caustic, and it requires a specialization of a commercialized diver to travel retired and dive successful that environment," Gularte said.

Potable Divers, a hazardous materials dive squad based successful Salt Lake City, Utah, was called successful to assist. The squad conducted the betterment nether utmost conditions.

Police said Patino was recovered inactive wearing the covering described by witnesses the time before, and his recognition was recovered connected him, confirming his identity.