Cause of Fire and Injuries Discovered

Investigators believe spontaneous combustion caused the fire Monday that consumed a pickup truck in rural northeast Johnson County, killing its driver and severely burning his teenage daughter.

Jessie Pack, 34, of Venus was driving a 1994 Ford pickup about 4 p.m. Monday on County Road 213 east of Alvarado. That's when a fire erupted in the pickup bed and spread to the cab, according to earlier reports.

Both Pack and his 14-year-old daughter, Anastaza, were taken by helicopter ambulance to Parkland Memorial Hospital where he died of his injuries.

The girl was listed in critical condition Thursday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Johnson County fire investigators reported that the blaze appeared to have started in tightly compacted trash bags that were in the back of the truck, Lt. Tim Jones, sheriff's spokesman, said Thursday.

Some of the bags contained pet manure, Jones said. There also was at least one small propane bottle that appeared to have contributed fuel to the blaze, he said.

The combustion may have occurred as heat bore down on the contents of the pickup bed, and the flames were probably fanned as the truck traveled down the road, Jones said.

After the fire spread to the cab, the truck went off the roadway, went through a fence and struck a tree, authorities said.

Jones noted, however, that the fire was still under investigation Thursday.

Members of the Venus community have been organizing a blood drive for the girl, but details were unavailable Thursday morning.