A mobile home in the Fairway Terrace Mobile Home park was destroyed by fire on Tuesday evening.
Around 7:30 p.m., Bethel Township Fire Crews were called to 12248 Winona Ave for a trailer on fire with flames showing.
Crews arrived to find the home fully involved with two neighboring homes in danger.
“Our crews made a good initial knock-down,” said Bethel Twp. Fire Chief Jacob King. “We were able to contain and minimize some of the damage to the two exposed trailers that were on fire and they were quickly extinguished.”
King said crews then concentrated on controlling the trailer that was on fire.
“I had just walked into my home and I heard an explosion,” said Larry Jones who lives next door. “If [fire crews] wouldn’t have arrived when they did, I’d have lost mine.”
Jones suffered moderate damage to his trailer, and fire crews removed the plastic siding as a safety measure. “That plastic will hold heat,” King told Jones. “It’s for your protection.”
“Crews were initially advised that one person was trapped,” said King, “As the first engine company arrived, that occupant exited on his own out of the structure.”
He said that the Red Cross has been contacted to provide assistance to the now displaced family.
The two neighboring trailers suffered significant damage and two trailers across the street suffered minor damage from the heat generated by the fire.
A vehicle parked in front of the destroyed trailer also suffered significant damage, and a vehicle parked in front of a neighboring trailer suffered moderate damage.
The cause of the fire and an estimate of damage were not readily available, but the township’s fire investigator was on the scene.
“The best thing I think we can take away from this is we have zero injuries to the occupants and zero injuries to firefighters,” said King.
He said that flames spread rapidly in mobile homes and strongly suggested that all mobile homes be equipped with smoke detectors.
King also said that anyone in Bethel Township who isn’t sure if their smoke detector is working properly can call the Fire Department at 849-0303 and fire crews will install a new smoke detector at no charge.
He expressed gratitude to the assistance his department received from crews from New Carlisle, Huber Heights, Fairborn and Bethel Miami.
