Administrative Fire Chief Christopher L. Arnold reports:
Jacksonville Firefighters responded to the Royal Mobile Home Park at 1055 N. 5th Street Friday morning 5/13/11 to a reported structure fire. The first in engine company found smoke showing to the rear of the mobile home, and made an aggressive attack of the fire which was in the bathroom, spreading heat and smoke into adjoining areas. The resident had escaped, hearing the smoke detector and finding smoke to the rear of her mobile home, causing her to exit and seek a neighbor to call the fire department.
Jackson County Fire District #3 responded, backing up the Jacksonville Engine Company, under the command of Operations Chief Hull. After a knockdown of the fire, and during the overhaul stage, the elderly resident began experiencing chest pain, and was attended to by the firefighters already present firefighters and subsequently transported by Mercy flight to the hospital.
This incident is a demonstration of the importance of smoke detectors in all homes, which lead to the exit and quick discovery of this fire, and with responding units a successful quick knockdown. In spite of the damage to this mobile home, much of the residents property, belongings, and keep sakes were saved, in stark contrast to many similar fires.