Mobile home fire leaves 4 homeless, Red Cross assists

Firefighters respond to a mobile home ablaze at 244 North 2650 East, St. George, Utah, Jan. 13, 2013 | Photo by Chris Caldwell, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – A mobile home fire broke out around 11:30 a.m. Sunday at 244 North 2650 East in St. George after an outdoor gas grill blew up and started the blaze.

Firefighters respond to a mobile home ablaze at 244 North 2650 East, St. George, Utah, Jan. 13, 2013 | Photo by Chris Caldwell, St. George News

The four occupants at the time not only had minimal warning, but were sleeping when the fire broke out, sending them into a panic to save what belongings they had as well as getting themselves out safely.

“The owner was not living in the home at the time, but four other individuals were staying there, two minors and two adults,” American Red Cross Disaster Action Team Leader Paul Dunsdon said. The mobile home, valued at about $10,000, was completely destroyed, he said.

There were no casualties; however, the victims did suffer scrapes and cuts from climbing out of their home.

“We had to pull him out through the window,” Ashley Huddleston said, speaking of her younger brother, Trevor Huddleston. “We were sleeping, then (Trevor) woke us up, I got out, then he started throwing stuff out the window. Everything’s gone; family pictures, clothes.”

Charred remains of the mobile home at 244 North 2650 East, St. George, Utah, Jan. 13, 2013 | Photo by Chris Caldwell, St. George News

Jerry Huddleston, Ashley Huddleston’s other brother, said, “Baby pictures and everything burned up. And we just bought $60 worth of food, and it’s gone.”

The three siblings, along with Ashley Huddleston’s husband, are now left with just the few things they managed to grab on the way out of their house.

“We’re waiting for the Red Cross or something,” Trevor Huddleston said. “We need some clothes, and I guess they said they’re gonna help with reimbursement on the food stamps. I don’t know.”

The American Red Cross’s Disaster Action Team did come to the aid of the victims. “One individual has been assisted by the Red Cross with food, shelter and further assistance down the road,” Dunsdon said, “and another couple was assisted with food and clothing.”

Dunsdon said the people have friends in town they are able to stay with for a couple days, one individual is being put up at the Crystal Inn by the Red Cross.

The cause of fire appears to be accidental, Dunsdon said, and is still under investigation by the Fire Department.

St. George News Editor-in-Chief Joyce Kuzmanic contributed to this story

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2013, all rights reserved.

Firefighters respond to a mobile home ablaze at 244 North 2650 East, St. George, Utah, Jan. 13, 2013 | Photo by Chris Caldwell, St. George News

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4 Comments

  • ken January 13, 2013 at 5:30 pm

    I feel for those affected by the fire but have to wonder how a grill just explodes. If the occupants were asleep do we assume no one was using said grill?

    • George McFly January 13, 2013 at 6:50 pm

      Dont you know propane tanks spontaneously combust in cold temperatures?

  • jeff January 14, 2013 at 12:33 pm

    They had no power or water for over a year

    • ken January 14, 2013 at 5:35 pm

      Say what? If that is the case then why were they allowed to live there?

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