BIRD ISLAND — The Renville County Sheriff’s Office received a report at about 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4 of a burned-up vehicle in a drainage ditch in Bird Island Township.

Law enforcement found a vehicle fully consumed by fire with what appeared to be human remains inside. The vehicle was on the 81000 block of 370th Street, about one mile west of Bird Island, according to a Renville County Sheriff’s Office news release.

The remains will be sent to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office for identification and determination of the cause and manner of death.

The Renville County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on scene by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the Minnesota State Fire Marshall’s Office and the Minnesota State Patrol. The sheriff’s office, BCA and State Patrol are investigating the incident.

Renville County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jason Mathwig said the sheriff’s office would not release any more information about the incident Monday, “due to the fact it’s still an active investigation.”