Houses Burn in Lebec and Frazier

  • Flames and smoke erupt from a house on Lancer Way in Los Padres Estate on Wednesday, late afternoon, June 18. This photo was taken from Morse Court, two blocks to the east of the fire. The yellow house in front of the flames is not the house that is burning. [Chuck Noble photo]

    Flames and smoke erupt from a house on Lancer Way in Los Padres Estate on Wednesday, late afternoon, June 18. This photo was taken from Morse Court, two blocks to the east of the fire. The yellow house in front of the flames is not the house that is burning. [Chuck Noble photo]

FRAZIER PARK, Calif. (June 18, 2008 at 7:15 p.m.) — A mobile home in the Los Padres Estates community of Lebec burned to the ground today. According to Kern County Fire Battalion Chief John Smith, the fire was reported at 5:21 p.m. All three occupants of the home on Lancer Way were able to evacuate to safety and there were no injuries reported. He believes the family pets were also taken to safety.

Approximately 10 Kern County Firefighters responded to the scene and contained the fire within 57 minutes.

Upon arrival, fire crews were faced with flames rising 30 feet into the sky from the fully involved mobile home of approximately 1000sq ft. The fire had the potential to spread to exposures on the North and South side of the structure, and also into the surrounding brush. Firefighters protected surrounding buildings and property to prevent further spread of the fire, and simultaneously extinguish the burning structure. Fire crews from the United States Forest Service were staged at the scene in the event that the fire may spread to the surrounding brush.

Firefighters were able to save approximately $300,000.00 in value of surrounding properties. However, the fire destroyed an estimated $150,000.00 in property.

The two adjacent homes received minor damage, in addition to a truck parked at one of the homes. "I am not a building contractor, so I don’t know for sure, but it looks like it might be about $20,000 dollars in damage" to the adjacent homes, Chief Smith said at the scene.

According to neighbor Chuck Noble, homeowner Chris Weiger and her room mate Steve Barker said they think it started in the sunroom and took off so fast that they barely had time to grab the dog and their wallets.

The cause of the blaze was not known and Fire-Arson investigators arrived just before 7:00 p.m. Chief Smith said the Red Cross was enroute to help get the occupants situated with a place to stay and provisions if necessary.

FRAZIER PARK, Calif. (June 19, 2008 at 9:20 a.m.) — A house in Frazier Park, near the intersection of Mt. Pinos Way and Monterey Trail, burned after motorcycle gasoline vapors were ignited by a water heater, shortly after 8 p.m., on Wednesday, June 18, causing damage to the garage and the house. The occupant (whose name cannot not be released due to health privacy laws) was working on his motorcycle and suffered "flash burns," to his skin and airways, according to Kern County Fire Department Public Information Officer Sean Collins.

The patient was transferred to a burns unit in Sherman Oaks. Simultaneously the fire was spreading from the first floor garage to a second floor bedroom via a ventilation shaft concealed within the structure. Firefighters made an aggressive attack on the fire which prevented it from spreading throughout the house. A small dog was found by firefighters, resuscitated at the scene and is now reported to be in good condition.

Firefighters were able to save approximately $80,000.00 in value to property and contents. However, the fire destroyed an estimated $100,000.00 of property and contents. According to Collins, the patient’s prognosis is very good. Fire units busy with the house fire in Lebec, arrived on-scene at about 8:35 p.m.

This is part of the June 13, 2008 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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