The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office announced it has identified the individuals involved in the fire that broke out on July 4, 2025 at the Templeton Feed and Grain building on South Main Street in Templeton.
Detectives identified four juvenile males, all residents of North County, as being involved. The investigation also determined that one of the juveniles was responsible for starting the fire.
“This information has been provided to the Templeton Fire Department, which is the lead agency in this case. They will work with the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office to determine the arson related charges,” the SLO Sheriff’s Office stated.
The fire began between 10:30- 11:30 p.m. on July 4. Detectives discovered four juveniles seen in the area at the time of the incident through surveillance footage and released photos asking for the public’s help in identifying them.
The iconic Templeton Feed and Grain mill has stood for decades as a symbol of the town’s identity. Demolition plans for the 120-foot mill are being finalized, with the section between 4th and 5th Street expected to remain closed until further notice. The silo portion of the building will need to be removed as part of the cleanup and deconstruction process.
Despite the devastation, co-owner Rick Jermin shared some uplifting news: much of their grain inventory has remained intact. “Surprisingly, it is in good condition,” said Jermin. While the mill can no longer produce its own grain, Jermin revealed plans to outsource production in the short term. “As long as the building stays intact, we should be able to open up to the public soon,” he remarked, expressing gratitude to the supportive community and emphasizing efforts to “get things moving again.”
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https://www.edhat.com/news/templeton-feed-and-grain-fire-continues-to-burn-investigators-release-photos-of-suspects/
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This was a really big deal. Not that I’ve ever been there, but imagine if it was your town. I watched a lot of stories on KSBY and read some SLO newspaper stories. I thought they’d ID the kids pretty quickly. Terrible event all the way around; way to screw up your life by “playing” around…