Three people, including a child, were hospitalized with what were described as non-life threatening injuries following a Friday morning fire that destroyed their mobile home north of Hobbs.
The fire, which appeared to have started on a patio outside the mobile home in the 7100 block of North Valdez Street, was reported about 9 a.m., said Barry Young, deputy chief of the Hobbs Fire Department. Young said the fire is pending further investigation, but did say investigators with the city Fire Marshall’s office did collect samples for further testing from around the area they believed the fire originated.
“We’re not sure if it’s suspicious,” Young said, noting the incident was still being investigated. “We took the samples to be sure.”
The three victims were not immediately identified and Young said he did not have any information on their condition as of Friday evening. All three were transported from the scene by two Hobbs Fire Department Emergency Medical Services ambulances.
The victims reportedly had escaped the mobile home by the time firefighters arrived. HFD had to transport water to the scene to battle the blaze, located just outside the north Hobbs city limits. Firefighters remained on the scene until almost 1 p.m., Young said.
Flames directly damaged the central area of the mobile home, he said. The ends of the structure sustained primarily smoke and heat damage. Young labeled the mobile home “a total loss.”
Though visible flames were quickly extinguished, fire had already burned into the area between the ceiling and roof of the mobile home, making firefighter’s jobs difficult. Mobile homes aren’t built with what could be called attic space above the living areas, but do have open areas at the top which gives fire a virtually unobstructed path to burn from end to end.
“There’s nothing to stop it,” Young said. “Trailer houses usually burn really fast. They’re like a tinderbox.”
