Mitchell trailer house fire claims life

• Early morning fire scene

This was the scene of a fire in a trailer park early this morning in Mitchell. (Seth Tupper/Republic)
• Billowing smoke

Smoke rises from the scene of a trailer park fire early this morning in Mitchell. (Seth Tupper/Republic)
• Officials at the scene

Mitchell Public Safety officials look over the scene of a trailer fire that claimed one life Saturday morning. (Chris Huber/Republic)
• Investigation under way

The investigation into the cause of the trailer fire that claimed a life Saturday morning is underway by Mitchell Public Safety and other officials. (Chris Huber/Republic)

Talk about it

One person is dead and three others are injured after a fire struck a trailer house early Saturday morning in Mitchell.

“Anytime we have a fatality, it’s a tragic incident, and our hearts and prayers go out to the family,” said Mitchell Public Safety Chief Lyndon Overweg.

Mitchell dispatch received a call at 4:06 a.m. for a trailer fire at 900 W. Second Ave., Lot 43. There's a dirt-road trailer park in that area located alongside Dry Run Creek and a set of railroad tracks. Access is from Third Avenue.

Mitchell public safety officials are not yet releasing any information about the person who died in the fire but did say that of the three people who escaped, two are middle-aged and one is a child. The three people that were injured were self-evacuated. They were taken to Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell for their injuries.

Of the four people in the trailer at the time of the fire, three were family members and one was a visitor.

When fighters arrived on scene, the trailer was engulfed in flames. The trailer and several sheds around the property are considered a total loss.

Four families were also evacuated from the area because they were in close proximity, but there was no damage to their homes.

“With trailer houses, as we have said before, they burn very fast, they burn very hot, just because of the nature of the way they are constructed,” Overweg said.

When asked if foul play is suspected, Overweg answered, “At this time, the investigation is just starting. There is no reason to suspect it, but we follow through with a full investigation on any of these fires.”

The Mitchell Department of Public Safety, State Fire Marshal’s Office, federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the state Division of Criminal Investigation are involved in the investigation. The scene will be investigated Saturday and likely also Sunday.

This is the second trailer house fire in Mitchell in as many weekends.

On Sept. 22, a fire at 1116 E. First Ave., Lot 34, was reported around 6:30 a.m. and destroyed the home there. No one was injured in that blaze.

View Sept. 29, 2012, trailer park fire in a larger map

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