CLALLAM COUNTY, Wash. — Combustible materials on the fireplace may have led to an accidental fire Saturday that completely engulfed a mobile home in Clallam, fire department personnel said.
At 9:19 a.m., Clallam 2 firefighters went to a trailer home fire near the intersection of 4th Avenue and Beech Street in the Gales Addition area.
According to initial reports, the house was completely engulfed in flames.
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When the units got there, they could see a column of smoke coming from the area and requested mutual assistance from the Port Angeles City Fire Department.
The two firefighters on duty at Fire Station 21 Gales Addition responded immediately. Professionals and volunteers also responded from home or work.
When locomotive 21 got there, the captain said there had been a large fire in a single-width trailer.
Staff confirmed the two people inside the home escaped the fire unharmed before crews arrived.
The first fire crew began to extinguish the fire from the outside of the house. When more staff got there, they went inside to completely put out the fire and make sure no one was left inside.
There were two cats in the house but they were found dead.
The emergency services were able to completely extinguish the fire and any remaining smoldering spots in the house.
The people who lived there said that there was no electricity in the house and when they came out of their bedroom they noticed a fire in the hallway from the front of the house.
Upon initial investigation, it turned out that the fire had started around a chimney, which was the only source of heat. There were combustible materials around the fireplace, which likely started the fire, which spread to other materials in the house.
No active smoke alarms were reported.
Staff said the fire appears to have been an accident.
The Red Cross was contacted to provide emergency shelter for the two people. After the fire was extinguished, the house was returned to the residents. Crews cleared the scene around 11:30 a.m
Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue responded with two fire engines, one water truck and two command vehicles with a total of 14 personnel. The Port Angeles Fire Department responded with a fire engine and a command vehicle totaling three personnel. Olympic Ambulance responded with an ambulance and two employees to keep firefighters on standby and to assess. Representatives from the Clallam County PUD and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene
