One medevac’d, three others injured in RV fire

Initial investigation indicates it may have been a heater malfunction

Four people were injured in a fire in Aberdeen on Thursday morning, one of whom was medevac’d by Life Flight Network.

Aberdeen police, as well as firefighters from Aberdeen, Hoquiam, and Cosmopolis responded to the call in the 200 block of S. Mill Street in South Aberdeen, following a neighbor’s report of an explosion, according to news releases from the Aberdeen police and fire departments.

The report of a trailer fire came in after 8 a.m., said Fire Chief Dave Golding. Firefighters arriving on-scene found a smoldering fire in an RV but no residents in evidence. Shortly after, emergency services received a call of four people with burn injuries from a residence two blocks away, Golding said.

The victims had walked to a family member’s home, Aberdeen Police Department Steve Timmons said. Firefighters transported three of the patients to Harbor Regional Health Community Hospital in Aberdeen, while the fourth, a child, was stabilized and medevac’d to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for advanced care, according to the news releases.

Initial investigation indicates the fire may have been caused by a propane heater used for heating the trailer, Timmons said. The investigation is ongoing, but the police do not believe foul play or criminal intent are a factor, Timmons said.

“We want to remind everyone that if you are using a portable propane heater indoors, while not advised, make sure there is proper ventilation and automatic shutoff safety features as well as carbon monoxide detectors,” Timmons said in the news release.

Contact Senior Reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or michael.lockett@thedailyworld.com.