KSBY's Katherine Worsham reported that the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against two people in connection with the fire that destroyed Templeton Feed and Grain in Paso Robles, California on July 4, 2025.
Michael Joseph Steele, 38, of Morro Bay faces six counts including child endangerment and conspiracy after allegedly traveling with a 16-year-old to Bakersfield to purchase illegal fireworks. The teen, charged in juvenile court, is accused of setting off the fireworks that sparked the blaze just after 11 p.m.
The fire burned for several days, requiring demolition of the building’s two silos. Surveillance video captured the moment the fire started. The owners plan to rebuild at the South Main Street property.
