Photo by Michael Woodward
FIRST RESPONDERS: Anderson Fire Protection District crew extinguish a vehicle fire which spread to the carport and mobile home.
Photo by Paul Robeson
THE AFTERMATH: Interim Fire Chief Roy Del Carlo, left, talks with Fire Captain Phil McNeal at the mobile home fire last Thursday in the River Park Mobile Estates.
A vehicle fire in an open garage destroyed the mobile home of Julie Grimm at the corner of Betty Drive and Hazel Drive in the River Park Mobile Estates off Rupert Drive in Anderson.
The fire was reported before 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6.
Grimm said she had just filled the gas tank and heard a pop from her car as she arrived home.
According to Anderson Fire Protection District Chief Roy Del Carlo, Grimm said she smelled smoke coming from her car as she pulled into the carport. She popped her hood and went into her home to call AAA regarding her car. During the call, which allegedly lasted about 10 minutes, the fire developed in the car and mobile home.
A neighbor saw the fire and alerted Grimm to leave. A neighbor also made the call to 911.
CalFire received the first call at 2:43 p.m., Anderson Fire was dispatched at 2:44 p.m., firefighters responded at 2:47 and arrived at the mobile home at 2:52 p.m.
“To get dressed and respond Code 3 in nine minutes is pretty good time,” said Del Carlo. “We made a nice attack on the trailer. There was some smoke damage inside, but usually you can’t save mobile homes once a fire starts.
“There was major damage to the roof structure and enclosed ceiling space, but more than 80 percent of the trailer contents are salvageable, such as furniture, appliances and personal belongings,” said Del Carlo.
Del Carlo said that it was fortunate that Anderson had four firefighters on the engine and a water supply available; typically only two crew are available.
One resident of the mobile home park said she believed it took 20 minutes for firefighters to arrive. Del Carlo said he was concerned that other residents were not aware of the nine-minute response time and went door-to-door to a number of homes in the park to inform people of the actual time.
Shasta County Fire Station 43 at the Redding Municipal Airport responded with an engine and four firefighters. Cottonwood Fire Protection District also sent a water tender to the fire.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 1
adman writes:
Congrats to the AFD for a response time of 9 minutes. To save as much of a mobile as was done is pretty remarkable. Anderson is fortunate to have that kind of dedication and fast response.
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.