FOWLER, Calif. (KFSN) — The body of a Fowler man reported missing from a National Raisin Company facility was recovered Friday morning, according to police.<\/p>\n
Fowler police confirmed that Juan Patino’s body was retrieved by divers at about 10 a.m. Friday. Authorities say the dive team arrived around 1 a.m., began preparations at 8 a.m., and entered the digester shortly after.<\/p>\n
Police said that when the team arrived, they observed Patino’s body had floated to the surface inside the digester. Special equipment was still required to safely reach and recover him.<\/p>\n
Patino, 39, was last seen just after 1:10 p.m. Thursday, while working at the facility.<\/p>\n
“Juan Patino, one of the employees that works here, was working on the facility plant, specifically last seen at the irrigation pond. He was actively pumping rainwater off of a tarp. That was his last known location,” said Fowler Police Chief Greg Gularte on Thursday.<\/p>\n
According to the chief, Patino had been assigned to remove rainwater from the top of the digester when he somehow fell inside.<\/p>\n
Co-workers grew concerned when he did not log back in from the location after about an hour.<\/p>\n
“His vehicle that he was using to work on the work site was left in front of this area. His hard hat is there and there’s a tear in the canvas cover of this water digester,” Gularte said.<\/p>\n
Fowler police responded to a missing person call around 2:30 p.m. Thursday. Fresno County Fire and Cal\/OSHA assisted with the response.<\/p>\n
“The chemicals that are inside of that digester are very caustic, and it requires a specialization of a commercial diver to come out and dive in that environment,” Gularte said.<\/p>\n
Potable Divers, a hazardous materials dive team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, was called in to assist. The team conducted the recovery under extreme conditions.<\/p>\n
Police said Patino was recovered still wearing the clothing described by witnesses the day before, and his identification was found on him, confirming his identity.<\/p>\n
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