ANACONDA — Two months after human remains were discovered at the site of a suspected arson fire at an Anaconda storage facility, Anaconda Deer Lodge County law enforcement has identified the remains. In a social media post, officials said forensic examination identified the remains as those of Cameron Frey.
Frey, of Columbia Falls, had been the subject of an ongoing missing person investigation.
The suspected arson fire that occurred at 1:25 p.m. on Sept. 17 at Pinnacle Peaks Storage led to the discovery of Frey’s remains, according to Anaconda Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement.
The facility, located at 11791 Montana Highway 1 West, is used to store camp trailers, boats, and other large equipment.
Multiple emergency services responded to the scene, including West Valley Fire Department, Anaconda Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement, Anaconda Fire Department, Opportunity Fire Department, Georgetown Lake Fire Department and Montana DNRC (Department of Natural Resources and Conservation).
The fire caused significant damage to the primarily metal structure with a wood skeleton, ultimately leading to its collapse. Emergency services extinguished the fire and began a joint investigation into its cause.
Two days after the fire, on September 19, law enforcement was informed of a possible missing person who was last known to have been within Anaconda Deer Lodge County.
Det. Sgt. Ryan Eamon began investigating the missing person case while Det. Lt. Kyle Staley reviewed the surveillance footage and determined the fire was likely arson. The footage showed a person in the area around the time the fire was reported, which matched the description of the missing person.
The surveillance footage showed that the individual was not seen leaving the area after the fire was reported.
The ADLC Water Department provided heavy equipment and manpower to remove the roof from the collapsed structure. During this process, unidentified human remains were discovered within the debris.
In a press release, law enforcement stated that no further information will be released.
