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Heater cause of RV fire in Port Townsend mobile home park

Published 12:01 am Thursday, November 28, 2013

East Jefferson Fire-Rescue firefighters extinguish a blaze in a Winnebago recreational vehicle in Port Townsend earlier this week. Bill Beezley/East Jefferson Fire-Rescue
East Jefferson Fire-Rescue firefighters extinguish a blaze in a Winnebago recreational vehicle in Port Townsend earlier this week. Bill Beezley/East Jefferson Fire-Rescue

PORT TOWNSEND β€” An old portable heater left on in a Winnebago recreational vehicle was determined to be the cause of a fire that burned a man’s home at Sea Breeze Mobile Home Park earlier this week.

East Jefferson Fire-Rescue personnel found flames shooting out of the roof of the 1972 Winnebago Chieftain after they were called to the fire at the park at 545 Hendricks St. at 9:22 p.m. Monday.

No one was hurt, but the vehicle was uninhabitable, according to reports.

The unidentified man was not left homeless, however, according to Bill Beezley, department spokesman.

He had recently bought a fifth wheel trailer.

β€œHe was getting ready to move in when the fire happened, and he had a place to stay that night,” Beezley said.

The owner of the vehicle was absent at the time of the fire, which was reported by a neighbor who called 9-1-1 dispatchers.

The owner told firefighters he had left an old portable heater on when he left the vehicle about an hour and a half before, and that was determined to be the cause of the fire, Beezley said.

Twelve firefighters from East Jefferson Fire-Rescue responded to the fire.