Burned body found in San Bernardino field, police say

Investigators discovered a burned body in a San Bernardino field after firefighters were called to the area, authorities said Tuesday.

The San Bernardino Fire Department responded to a report of a fire near Donald Street and Duffy Street around 10:30 p.m. Monday, according to police. It was burning behind a home that's the last in a row of houses along a residential street, an open dirt field along one side of the house.

Officers responded afterwards and found burned human remains there, San Bernardino Police Department Sgt. Chris Gray said. Police later confirmed the victim was a man and homicide detectives are now investigating.

"The victim tragically succumbed to their injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene," the department said in a news release.

Police have not identified the victim.

Kenny Partida, who lives nearby, said he didn't realize anything was wrong until just after midnight, when investigators asked him if he had any surveillance video he could share. He said his security camera wasn't working at the time, and he felt scared when officers told him a body had been thrown into the field.

Another person who lives in the neighborhood, George Flores, said he was shocked to learn a body was found.

"That could've been my family or something or me," Flores said. "I thought it was just like something burning, like someone threw a cigarette and it burned."

No other details have been released by police as the investigation continues.