Fire in Parker?

[LLGirl]

Does anyone know anything about a fire in Parker Sunday? We were at Roadrunner having a late lunch when we saw the fire boat, a few fire engines and some black smoke across the river. Looked to be possibly at a mobile home park/camp grounds (sorry - don't know Parker that well!). Hope all is okay!

 

[riverratmike]

Explosion rocks RV park; 4 vehicles destroyed


By DAVID BELL
Tuesday, January 1, 2008 10:57 PM MST


PARKER DAM, Calif. ��” Strong winds and an exploding propane tank contributed to the destruction of four recreational vehicles Monday.

A fire that started under the motor of a late 1980s motorhome at the Big Bend Resort, on the California side of the Colorado River across from Buckskin Mountain State Park, spread to the rest of the RV then to the propane tank on the side of the vehicle, causing it to ignite.

“It shot a fireball out that took out the other two (vehicles) and then the wind carried it,” said San Bernardino County Fire Capt. Steven Sipe.

The call came in to the San Bernardino County Fire Station in Big River at 3:43 p.m. Monday. Big River sent its new Class-1 engine and had support from Parker Fire Department with a water tender and an engine, Colorado River Indian Tribal Fire Department with one engine and Buckskin Fire Department with the fire boat that supplied water to the tender and engines.

The San Bernardino County Fire Department station on the Chemehuevi Reservation and Lake Havasu City Fire Department also sent engines but were canceled prior to arrival as Big River Fire had the blaze under control.

First notice of fire was by residents of the resort.

“Apparently the motorhome had been in storage for a while. The owner had some work done but it hadn’t been started for a while. He had someone work on it to get it started and then drove it to the park. That’s when the fire underneath the motor was discovered,” Sipe said.

The motorhome, another mid 1990s model motorhome and two fairly new fifth-wheel travel-trailers were considered a complete loss, with an estimated combined value of about $100,000. Contents of the vehicles was estimated at about another $100,000 and damage to the surrounding park - electrical system, trees and cabanas - was estimated at about another $20,000.

There were no injuries resulting from the fire, which remains under investigation.

“There was a park model on one side and a $400,000 motorhome on the other. We were able to get there on time to save those,” Sipe said.

A total of seven people were displaced as a result of the blaze and Big Bend Resort offered to house all of the victims.

 

[OGShocker]

A total of seven people were displaced as a result of the blaze and Big Bend Resort offered to house all of the victims.

Very classy!!! Props to Big Bend!

 

[TAF]

Me and my 2 kids were at Roadrunner eating a late lunch / early dinner when the fire trucks went by. Heard later that it was at Big Bend. Glad to hear no one was hurt.

 

[RiverDave]

Glad to hear nobody was hurt!

RD

 

[LLGirl]

Me and my 2 kids were at Roadrunner eating a late lunch / early dinner when the fire trucks went by. Heard later that it was at Big Bend. Glad to hear no one was hurt.

Guess we were at Roadrunner w/our 2 kids eating a late lunch/early dinner at the same time haha

 

[Andy01]

Me and my wife were riding by on our Jet Ski's as the fire had just started. It looked like a pretty big ball of fire. But again it looked like it had just started, it must have been before the propane tank went off.

Andy

 

[Skippy]

My friend just called and told me about this incident. We both have mobile homes in the park. He was there when this happened. Heard the explosion then saw the smoke. Himself and his neighbor (both firefighters) ran down to help. I guess many of the involved motor homes belonged to snowbirds. They helped the older folks move their RV's. The buckskin fireboat was first onscene. They tried to direct the on board monitor on the fire but it was mostly ineffective. Finally an engine company rolled up and extinguished what was left burning. My friends helped pull a supply line from the fire boat to the engine company. They took a bunch of pictures so I will try to post them when I receive them.