Cause sought for Madras mobile home fire

Fire tore through a Madras mobile home Thursday morning and began spreading to a second before crews were able to stop the flames. No injuries were reported, but the American Red Cross stepped in to assist the displaced mother and three children.

Resident Melanie Smith and two children (one was in school) got out with out injury, but lost all of their belongings, said Jefferson County Assistant Fire Chief Tom Jaca.

More than a dozen Jefferson County Fire District No. 1 crews were dispatched shortly after 10:30 a.m. to the reported fire at Tops Trailer Park at 23 NW Depot Road.

Crews arrived to find one trailer engulfed in flames and a second with its porch ablaze, said fire district spokeswoman Linda Larson. A third trailer sustained some smoke damage.

The American Red Cross sent disaster team volunteers to offer lodging, food, clothing and information about other services.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation Thursday, said Jaca, who estimated the losses and $3,850 to the structures and $3,000 in contents.

The fire broke out four months and two days after a fast-moving fire that destroyed two neighboring mobile homes and damaged a third at the same trailer park.

Jaca said the homes are so close together, the flames can spread quickly.

“Without aggressive response and quick firefighting, it’ll just work its way on down the line of trailers,” he said.