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On the evening of April 6th at 11:24 p.m. Longview Fire was dispatched to a reported travel trailer fire located in the alley behind the address 963 17th Ave. While a single Longview Fire Engine was responding to the incident the dispatch center added a medic unit to the response, indicating there may be a possible victim. With information of a potential injury or rescue, additional fire units were requested.
Fire crews could see a glow in the sky and flames venting through the roof of the trailer from two-blocks away. As the engine nosed into the alley they were greeted with a large, emotional crowd exclaiming that there was possibly a young child trapped in the trailer.
The travel trailer that was serving as a temporary family residence was fully involved in fire with fire impinging on a nearby vehicle. Crews quickly knocked the main body of flames down and conducted a Primary Search. The interior of the trailer was severely damaged from the fire making search efforts difficult. A deceased fire victim was located during a more thorough Secondary Search.
While crews were battling the fire and searching the trailer, AMR arrived and identified five victims that required treatment and transport. The victims included a husband and wife, and their 2 ?1/2 year old daughter who escaped from the trailer; a neighbor, and the grandmother. An additional ambulance was summoned to the scene, transporting all patients to PeaceHealth St Johns Medical Center in Longview. The father of the deceased was evaluated at St Johns and transferred to Legacy Oregon Burn Center and is currently listed in critical condition.
On-scene interviews indicate that the family was in the trailer at the time of the fire and that the wife woke to her husband screaming, and that the trailer was filled with thick, hot, black smoke. The fire was near the front door, blocking the family's primary exit. The husband, wife, and 2 ?1/2 -year old daughter escaped through one of the front trailer windows. Efforts by witnesses and family members to rescue the trapped 3 ?1/2 -year old boy who was trapped inside were unsuccessful.
Longview Fire and Police are jointly investigating the fire for origin and cause. The trailer has been removed from the scene and impounded to safeguard continued investigation efforts. There are no indications that Smoke Alarms were present at the time of the fire. The American Red Cross is working with family members on housing and assistance. The names of the victims and deceased are not being released at this time. The Cowlitz County Corners Office will conduct an autopsy and confirm the cause of death and identity of the deceased.
No firefighter injuries were reported, however, one firefighter did receive an electrical shock while stripping siding from the trailer. At the time of the fire the trailer was plugged into a residence for electrical power.
The Washington State Fire Marshals Office reports that in 2016 there were a total of 54 fire fatalities, 31 occurring in single family residences, and two in recreational vehicles. The tragic fire serves as a reminder of the importance of working smoke alarms, and having an escape plan which included two-ways out; even when occupying an RV.