Two people and several pets were found dead inside of a small mobile home residence that caught fire east of Ridgefield on Thursday, Dec. 15.
At 4:32 a.m., Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue and Clark County Fire District 3 were dispatched to a residential structure fire at 24416 NE 50th Ave. after a caller stated they were woken up by a “loud bang” then spotted “lots of flames from the side” of the structure, stated a news release.
CCFR Engine 26 arrived from the Dollar’s Corner station 10 minutes later. The fire initially appeared to be on the exterior of the home and an adjacent barn or shop-like structure. After Captain Dan Ferber, Engine 26’s officer, performed an evaluation of both structures, crews found “substantial fire involvement to the rear of the residential structure, along with defensive fire conditions throughout its interior,” stated the release.
Engine 26 transitioned its fire attack from an offensive strategy to a defensive attack. They concentrated on limiting the fire spread throughout the already damaged structures, stated the release.
Additional water tenders and mutual aid units were dispatched to the scene.
The well-involved fires were brought under control and then firefighters worked over the next couple of hours to extinguish hot spots and to overhaul the area. Both structures were heavily damaged.
Two adults were discovered dead inside of the residential structure, along with several pets.
The fire is under investigation by the Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office. The cause has not been determined.
CCFR was assisted by responders from Clark County Fire District 3, the Vancouver Fire Department, Clark County Fire District 10, American Medical Response, the Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Clark County Sheriff's Office.
Resources included five fire engines, two ladder trucks, six chief officers, three fire investigators, five water tenders and one AMR ambulance.
