A state fire marshal investigated the blaze and spotted a short in the wiring system near the SUV's steering column that may have caused the fire, said Capt. Gary Schmidt of the Vilas County Sheriff's Department.
``There doesn't appear to be anything suspicious. It appears to be accidental,'' Schmidt said.
The victim was badly burned, requiring dental records to make a positive identification, which hadn't been completed Thursday, Schmidt said.
Someone saw the vehicle engulfed in flames around 1 a.m. Wednesday in a driveway of a rural St. Germain home, he said.
Based on tracks in the snow, the SUV had recently driven into the driveway, Schmidt said. There were no footprints of anyone leaving the vehicle.
It's unknown why the victim was unable to get out of the SUV, Schmidt said. An autopsy was planned to determine the exact cause of death.
