BASS LAKE–Shortly after 3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 9th, a dispatch came over the radio for a residential structure fire on Road 222 at the Whispering Pines mobile home park. When firefighters arrived on scene they reported that one mobile home was fully involved. There were also reports of a person being inside. Firefighters were unable to make access to the home. A few minutes later, firefighters reported another mobile home was 50% involved.
Almost as quickly as the fire was engulfing the mobile home, word spread on social media about the fire. The smoke was also very visible from multiple locations, including the wildfire camera on Deadwood Mountain. Ultimately, firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading into the vegetation and starting a wildifre. No small feat in that area which has dead and down trees everywhere. The trees that have died due to the barke beetle infestation.
Eventually around 4:00 p.m., after conducting check ins through the mobile home park, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office determined that a person had perished in the fire. They then requested the coroner to report to the scene.
Once the fire was knocked down, two of the mobile homes were completely burned down and a third had damage to an outside wall. Neighbors report that the owner of the second mobile home has no insurace, nor family. They have lost everything, except their small dog which a nighbor was able to resuce. Also, The American Red Cross Central California has reached out to all the victims of the fire.