Madras trailer park’s string of fires spark concern

Mobile home fires in Jefferson County are a primary issue for Madras City Council members, but one trailer park, in particular, has garnered more attention due to an unusually high number of fires in recent years.

A county fire official said Wednesday there have been, of late, at least one serious fire each year at Tops Trailer Park, located at 23 Northwest Depot Road.

Many of the trailers and mobile homes are in close proximity to each other, making it very easy for fires to spread to more than one home. The official said there’s also been an increase of trailers and mobile homes moving into the area without proper permits. They often bring attachments and additions that take up even more space.

Jefferson County Fire District Chief Brian Huff said Wednesday the owner of the property lives offsite and has not made the necessary changes to structures that have been burned and abandoned. He said he plans to send a notice to the owner regarding the structures, requiring a response within 60 days agreeing to make the necessary property and structural changes to the park.

“We’ll get that letter out to him, certified mail. The intent is to have them reply to that with a plan of correction, telling us they are going to do repairs, maybe in phases or something,” Huff said. “We will start with the burned and abandoned buildings and get rid of those, and maybe they’ll start working on the rest of it.”

Once the 60 days are up, city councilors and Huff will begin negotiations to get changes made in the area.

One resident who moved in three weeks ago said the latest fire broke out on Sunday at his neighbor’s trailer, catching him and his wife off-guard after coming home from church.

“It was coming from the back of our trailer, so we thought it was ours,” said William Walker. “We just bought this mobile home. We were just totally down and out about it and didn’t know what to expect.”

Walker said after the fire, there was no communication from the owner of the park, but the neighbors rallied together to clean the area.

As of now, barbecuing, grilling or any other fire activity is prohibited in the trailer park.