64-year-old Solano County man killed in LNU Lightning Complex fires

SOLANO COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) – LNU Lightning Complex fires have burned a total of 360,858 acres and is 33-percent contained.

Five deaths have been reported, two of which were Solano County residents, including 64-year-old Leon James Bone.

What’s left of the victim’s property was destroyed. 

His family tells KRON4 in all 64 years of his life, this is the only home he’s ever lived in and now it’s the place where he passed away.

“That was the last time we saw him. We talked to him that time but that was it,” Daniel Bone said. 

Daniel Bone saw his cousin 64-year-old Leon James Bone, known as James to family, one month ago.

Little did he know, that time would be the last.

“We haven’t been able to go on the property. As a matter of fact, the sheriff’s deputies said they weren’t able to go onto the property right away because of the extreme heat and that’s why it took a couple of days to discover the body,” Bone said.

Bone says first responders found James in his home off English Hills Road.

He says James was almost fully blind and had no way of receiving fire alerts.

“He had no running water, no electricity, no telephone and he had no way of being alerted so were just assuming he was probably overcome by smoke and died there on the property on the bed,” Bone said.

Now all that’s left of the property, rubble, melted appliances, and vehicle shells.

Bone says this isn’t the first time a fire has destroyed the property.

“The place burned down before back in 1965 when we had what was called black thursday. His original house burned to the ground and they rebuilt on same property, same location,” Bone said. 

Bone says James used to live on the property with his parents who have since passed away.

While James lived out there alone, Bone says he was well liked by his neighbors.

“He got along fine out there on his property,” Bone said. 

Back on English Hills Road, James’ property isn’t the only one destroyed.

We counted several others burned to the ground along the way. Meanwhile, the fire seemed to spare his surrounding neighbors.

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