KELSEYVILLE — A fire destroyed the mobile home of Kelseyville resident Bob Roy, 80, who suffered burns and was transported via ambulance to Sutter Lakeside Hospital Friday.
Roy was in his single-wide mobile home at Live Oak Mobile Home Park off of Highway 29 in Kelseyville when the lights flickered out. Fire erupted shortly thereafter and consumed the home in flames in a matter of minutes. The fire was throughout three fourths of the home by the time Kelseyville Fire District firefighters arrived on the scene after hearing the alarm at 8:06 p.m., according to Fire Chief Howard Strickler.
Three engines and seven firefighters responded to the blaze. Roy was already out of the home at the time they arrived being attended by medics, Strickler said.
“I live only a couple of blocks away, and by the time I hit the end of my driveway I could see the smoke. It was burning heavily within a minute of our response,” said Strickler. The home was a complete loss. Firefighters were not able to save any items from the home, although neighbors said they were able to retrieve some documents and help Roy out of the home.
Roy”s neighbor, Bruce Blocher and his wife Debby Blocher said many neighbors rushed to the house and helped Roy safely outside. “Everyone around here is trying to help him,” Blocher said, adding that Roy is a veteran and lives solely on his veteran”s pension. Roy has no other family able to help him, or place to go, Blocher said. “He is a really nice guy. He fought in the war, loves animals and people and did anything for anyone. He tried to save his cat before he got out of the house, that”s the kind of person he is.”
Neighbors are working on establishing a donation fund at Bank of America to help Roy get back on his feet. “He is like the godfather of the neighborhood?nothing happens without him knowing about it. If someone needs something, he”s there for you. He helped us, and served our country so now”s the time we should help him,” Blocher said.
He said his wife Debby rode with Blocher in the ambulance to Sutter Lakeside Hospital to keep him company and help him calm down.
“His face and arms were pretty badly burned. But he won”t tell anyone about the pain,” Blocher said. The fire is still under investigation, Strickler said, but officials are looking into a possible electrical problem that caused the fire, after Roy reported his lights flickering out just prior to the fire. By the time fire personnel arrived, it was too late to enter the trailer, or to save a neighbor”s new Bronco truck parked next door. “Most of the contents from the front portion are a complete loss. The bedroom in the back has heavy smoke damage,” Strickler said. There were no other structures affected or injuries resulting in the blaze.
According to Strickler, a fire in a single-wide mobile home can spread throughout in seven to 10 minutes. Firefighters were on scene cleaning up until 10 p.m.
The Record-Bee will provide an update regarding a fund neighbors are establishing at Bank of America to assist Roy.
Contact Elizabeth Wilson at ewilson@record-bee.com
