Water Heater Problem Sparks Mobile Home Fire

By Andrew Gorosko

Firefighters from three volunteer fire companies responded to an accidental blaze that caused an estimated $11,000 of damage to a mobile home at Midway Trailer Park at 160 Mt Pleasant Road in Hawleyville on Monday night.

Hawleyville, Newtown Hook & Ladder, and Sandy Hook firefighters traveling in eight fire trucks responded at 6:46 pm to Unit 10, which is the residence of Dennis and Ann Frendt, who were home at the time of the incident. There were no injuries, fire officials said.

Hawleyville Fire Chief Paul Basso said the fire started at an electric water heater kept in a storage area within the mobile home. The trailer park contains about 25 mobile homes. No other units were affected by the fire.

Fortunately, after realizing that a fire was burning, Mr Frendt was able to contain the small blaze with the use of fire extinguisher, preventing its spread, Chief Basso said.

The water heater was located in a 50-square-foot storage area in the rear section of the couple’s mobile home, Chief Basso said.

A local fire damage repair company was called to the scene in the aftermath of the blaze, Chief Basso said. Firefighters remained at the mobile home until about 9 pm.

Fire Marshal Bill Halstead said the fire likely was caused by an electrical problem with the water heater.

The blaze destroyed the water heater and damaged the walls and ceiling of the storage area, as well as its various contents, he said. Cleanup work will be required, he said.

After hearing a “popping” noise, Mr Frendt went to the storage area to investigate and discovered the fire, Mr Halstead said. Mr Frendt then used a dry-powder fire extinguisher to knock down the blaze, thus preventing its spread through the structure, Mr Halstead said.

Such quick action forestalled what could have become a much more serious fire, the fire marshal said.

The mobile home, which is insured for damage, remains habitable, Mr Halstead said.