SWEETWATER COUNTY — A family of five escaped uninjured when their house erupted into flames Friday morning.
At around 9:30 a.m., two engines from Sweetwater County Fire District No. 1 and three engines from Rock Springs Fire Department responded to multiple reports of a structure fire in the 100 block of Cottonwood Street in the Clearview Acres neighborhood, west of Rock Springs.
The first fire crews arrived minutes later to find the single wide mobile home now engulfed in flames. The family, consisting of two adults and three adult children, fled to a neighbor’s house.
Emergency crews blocked nearby streets as fire crews routed their hoses down the middle of the street and began suppression efforts.
The fire was completely extinguished, and the scene cleared, by around 12:30 p.m. No nearby structures were threatened or damaged during the fire.
Investigators determined the fire originated in the living room, from a space heater placed in close proximity to combustible materials. It then extended into the attic space before spreading throughout the home.
District fire chief Scott Kitchner said the blaze quickly blocked the front door, the home’s only escape route, forcing family members to jump out windows.
“This was a dangerous situation, and we’re grateful the family was able to escape with their lives,” Kitchner said.
Assistant fire chief Jake Ribordy said, “We want to extend our thanks to Rock Springs Fire Department, Castle Rock EMS and the sheriff’s office for their help this morning. Like most things we all deal with on a daily basis, this was a team effort.”
While investigators believe the structure is a total loss, emergency crews after several hours successfully rescued nine family pets including five dogs and four cats.