Farmington chief: No cause yet for fire, or man's death

Arthur "Chip" Cardinal Jr. (Courtesy photo)

FARMINTON - Farmington's police chief cautioned the public not to get ahead of their investigation into what caused the death of a Farmington man whose body was found amid the rubble of his burning mobile home last month.

Farmington Police Chief John Drury told The Rochester Voice the official cause in the death of 44-year-old Arthur "Chip" Cardinal Jr. has not been released and may not be released for several weeks until toxicology reports are returned.

"We continue to investigate," Drury said on Tuesday afternoon.

He said certain toxicology tests that may have been ordered are often sent out of state and can take up to several weeks or longer to be returned.

Cardinal's body was found inside his burned mobile home on Feb. 21 soon after responders arrived around 6:25 a.m. to find the structure fully involved.

Safety officials in a statement also did not confirm Cardinal as the owner or renter of the residence that burned, which is located at 677 Route 11 next to a NAPA Auto and Truck Parts store.