Update:
Williams Lake RCMP have deemed two separate mobile home fires, one of which claimed the lives of two people, suspicious.
Fire Investigators, North District Major Crime, North District General Investigators and Forensic Identification Services spent Thursday assisting in the investigation, RCMP media relations Madonna Saunderson said.
RCMP and BC Ambulance were on scene immediately and by 11:30 a.m. police tape was up around both scenes. Several officers were investigating and taking photographs, including with a drone, and the coroner had arrived to do her investigation.
At about 8 a.m. Fire Chief Des Webster said his department was called in around 3:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, to the first fire at the Lakeside Mobile Home Park on Broadway Avenue South just past McDonald’s restaurant.
Crews were fighting that fire when a second fire started several trailers away around 30 or 45 minutes later, Webster said Thursday morning as crews continued to mop up both fires.
“I don’t know what happened,” Webster said. “We originally came to the first fire at unit 10 and while we were there a fire started at another trailer. At this point we are not sure if the two fires are connected or not, or if they are related.”
It was the second trailer fire that claimed the lives of the two people, Webster said, noting he did not know who the deceased were at this point.
All three people inside the first trailer got out OK, Webster added.
The RCMP said late Thursday that police and the Williams Lake Fire Department continue to investigate both fires.
Mobile park resident Chantele LePlante lives up the hill and said she knew one of the people who died in the fire.
“She was a very nice lady who was taking care of an old man,” LePlante said, adding she woke up at around 5 a.m. for work and saw the trailer on fire at the front end.
Robert Olsen lives at the entrance to the mobile park and said he saw the fire trucks arrive and then noticed number 10 was on fire. “I know the three people who lived in that trailer,” Olsen said. “I was out watching the fire and then, holy cow, the other trailer was on fire.”
Another neighbour, Diane Garreau, said she heard loud banging at around 1:30 a.m. but didn’t know if it was related to the fires.
Garreau, like many of the neighbours the Tribune canvassed, was not aware of the fires until she woke up in the morning.
Anyone with any information pertaining to the structure fires is asked to contact the Williams Lake RCMP at (250) 392-6211.Crews were fighting that fire when a second fire started several trailers away around 30 or 45 minutes later, Webster said as crews continued to mop up both fires.
“I don’t know what happened. We originally came to the first fire and while we were there a fire started at another trailer. At this point we are not sure if the two fires are connected or not, or if they are related.”
It was the second trailer fire that claimed the lives of the two people, Webster said, noting he did not know who the deceased were at this point.
All three people inside the first trailer got out OK, Webster added.
Mobile park resident Chantele LePlante lives up the hill and said she knew one of the victims who died in the fire.
“She was a very nice lady who was taking care of an old man,” LePlante said, adding she woke up at around 5 a.m. for work and saw the trailer on fire at the front end.
Robert Olsen lives at the entrance to the mobile park and said he saw the fire trucks arrive and then noticed a trailer was on fire.
“I know the three people who lived in that trailer,” Olsen said.
“I was out watching the fire and then, holy cow, the other trailer was on fire.”
Another neighbour, Diane Garreau, said she heard loud banging at around 1:30 a.m. but didn’t know if it was related to the fires.
Garreau, like many of the neighbours the Tribune canvassed, was not aware of the fires until she woke up in the morning.
Anyone with any information pertaining to the structure fires is asked to contact the Williams Lake RCMP at (250) 392-6211.
Original story:
One of two separate mobile home fires in Williams Lake early Thursday morning has claimed the lives of two people.
Fire Chief Des Webster said his department was called in around 3:30 a.m to the first fire at the trailer park on Broadway Avenue South just past McDonald's restaurant.
Crews were fighting that fire when a second fire started several trailers away around 30 or 45 minutes later, Webster said Thursday morning as crews continued to mop up both fires.
"I don't know what happened," he said. "We originally came to the first fire at unit 10 and while we were there a fire started at another trailer. At this point we are not sure if the two fires are connected or not, or if they are related."
It was the second trailer fire that claimed the lives of the two people, Webster said, noting he did not know who the deceased were at this point.
All three people inside the first trailer got out OK, Webster said.
Webster said the RCMP would be taking over the investigation of both fires.
Neighbour Diane Garreau said she heard loud banging around 1:30 a.m. but didn't know if it was related to the fire and wasn't aware there were fires near her until the morning. Other neighbours who were canvassed by the Tribune said they had slept through the night until morning, unaware of the fires in the mobile home park.
Members of the Williams Lake Fire Department were fighting a blaze which started in a mobile home (shown above) at Broadway Avenue South just after 3 a.m. when a second home in the mobile home park caught fire about a half hour later. The second fire claimed the lives of two people.