Updated at 12:34 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A couple who live next to the grange on North Military Road in Winlock lost their home to a fire last night.
It was the second time in less than three days that mobile homes were destroyed by flames in south Lewis County.
Firefighters called at 8:15 p.m. to the 600 block of North Military Road near Sargent Road found smoke and flames coming from some of the vents on the roof, according to Lewis County Fire District 15.
Nobody was home at the time and no one was injured, according to District 15 Assistant Chief Kevin Anderson.
While approximately 40 firefighters responded from Winlock and surrounding districts, the double-wide mobile home and its contents were a total loss, Anderson said.
It appeared it may have originated with a malfunctioning dishwasher, according to Anderson.
Mutual aid agreements in place with Winlock, Toledo, Napavine and Vader-Ryderwood mean crews from the volunteer departments join in answering calls to anywhere in the region.
It’s been a busy five days in the south end, Anderson said.
“I have never seen this many fires clustered around the calendar as long as I’ve been around here,” he said.
The causes have varied.
Monday’s mobile home fire on South Military Road north of Vader seemed to have started in an electrical panel.
Yesterday morning, the occupants of an apartment above a garage near state Route 505 and Jackson Highway in Toledo lost their home when a fire spread from a fifth-wheel trailer.
On Saturday morning, a two-story A-frame on Spencer Road outside Toledo lost part of its roof apparently due to a wood stove pipe issue. And then very early Sunday morning, crews responded to a trash can fire inside a bathroom of a mobile home on Grimes Road east of Toledo.
Having three households lose all their earthly possessions has kicked into high gear a group Vader firefighter Ruth Crear launched last fall.
It’s called Friends Helping Friends of Lewis County and can be found on Facebook.
The mother of four, who is also the assistant fire chief for Cowlitz-Lewis Fire District 20, created the group with the idea that during these hard economic times, folks could ask for what they needed or offer what they can give.
Postings just today include such requests as a TV tray for a woman who can’t easily hold her Bible at church to a microwave to replace on that’s making weird noises.
One person wants to give away a $9 coupon for baby formula and another is looking for a good home for a dog.
In just a few months, the group has grown to 943 members, according to Crear.
She’s delivered carloads of donated food and just this week, a van was purchased with more than $4,000 in donations that came in for a woman who needs transportation for her child who uses a wheelchair.
Crear says its been amazing to see the outpouring of folks around here.
“We have a lot of good caring people in Lewis County,” she said. “It’s pretty awesome.”
She and her oldest daughter have created a second group for Cowlitz County now as well.
Friends Helping Friends today announced it was donated space in south Chehalis for all the donations coming for the three families who have lost their homes since the beginning of the week.
“I suggested we gather donations and put everything in one spot,” Crear said.
The place is Safe Family Ministries on Jackson Highway.
Items can be dropped off or Crear can find people to pick them up, she said.
The needs? Crear said everything from clothing and toothbrushes on up.
The woman on South Military Road walked away from her burning home with nothing, except a firefighter found her debit card, she said.
“The one girl (in Toledo) was due in March and she lost all her baby stuff,” Crear said.
•••
Update: See the video about Friends Helping Friends of Lewis County from King5.com posted on Thursday February 9, 2012 at 5:57 p.m., here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
excellent article Sharyn!