Woman unharmed after fire destroys home west of Port Angeles

PORT ANGELES — The occupant of a travel trailer southwest of Port Angeles that was destroyed by fire earlier this week was unharmed and is staying with a neighbor.

The owner and lone occupant of the 40-foot travel trailer at 319 Old State Road, Shurrie Barnes, was not home at the time of the fire Wednesday night, said Dan Huff, assistant fire chief with Clallam County Fire District No. 2.

She is staying with a neighbor.

“She lost everything,” Huff said, adding that she had no insurance.

Smoke from the travel trailer was reported to Fire District No. 2 at 5:40 p.m., Chief Sam Phillips said.

Out in 20 minutes

Firefighters found it in flames some 20 minutes later and extinguished the blaze by 6:15 p.m., Huff said.

The trailer was destroyed.

“Travel trailers and mobile homes are nothing but a big fuel load” with plywood interiors and metal exteriors, Huff said.

“It doesn’t take a lot to destroy them,” he added.

Cause undetermined

Firefighters had not determined the cause of the blaze by Thursday, Huff said.

“The homeowner did state she had just finished cooking dinner and left the residence,” Huff said. “That’s the area we’re looking into.”

The damage was so extensive that determining the cause of the fire may take awhile, Huff said.

“We don’t suspect any foul play,” he said, adding that the final determination likely will be that it was accidental.

Fire District No. 2 was assisted by the Joyce Fire Department, which is Fire District No. 4, Huff said.

Three fire engines, two water tenders, one medic unit, two command units and 21 responders came to the fire, he said.

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