Friday, June 15, 2012

Tragedy In Northeast Las Vegas

From the LVRJ:  Three young children were found dead in a mobile home that was destroyed by fire Friday, according to a Clark County spokesman.
The Clark County Fire Department was called to a fire at two mobile homes at the Hitchin' Post RV Park at 3610 N. Las Vegas Boulevard. The fire began at 10:21 a.m., according to Deputy Chief Russell Cameron.
Upon arrival, firefighters saw heavy smoke and flames coming from two mobile homes, and were told there were people trapped inside one of the homes.
Two adults and three children under the age of 3 were in one of the mobile homes. The adults escaped from the burning home. The children did not..
http://www.lvrj.com/news/three-children-die-in-mobile-home-fire-159221995.html
I drove past the scene today and the two mobile homes were completely gutted and only the wooden supports were showing.
Mobile homes go up in flames so fast that when there is a fire and a person is trapped in there, more often than not, they are not getting out.
The other problem is that the closest fire station is about a mile or so away, on Lamb and Alexander and then the next closest station is either the Nellis AFB fire department, but Clark County rarely calls them or in North Las Vegas, which is at least several miles away.
This tragedy reminds me of when I was living in Dunseith ND. and was on their volunteer fire dept. in the early 1980's.   It was Easter Sunday and the grass was dry.  Someone set a grass fire by a mobile home, on Indian trust land and the high winds made the small fire into a large fire..  The alarm went out but before the first truck could respond, the fire overran the mobile home.  Sadly, a mother was passed out drunk in the home and her young daughter, maybe around 10 years old, was outside but then ran back inside in an effort to save her mom.  Both the mom and daughter were burned to death in the fire and you could barely recognize their bodies in the debris, they were that burned up.  It was horrible for me and the other fire fighters and police officers.
I can imagine hat the first responders are going through, I've been through it. 
I can only imagine what the heartache the parents are going through- it must be their hell on earth moment.
So, RIP little ones and may God help the family and first responders get through this tragedy.

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