CLEARLAKE OAKS — The Lake County Sheriff”s Office and the Northshore Fire Protection District (NSFPD) are investigating an apparent arson that resulted in the total loss of a mobile home at the Elem Indian Colony in Clearlake Oaks early Saturday morning.
At approximately 4:20 a.m., firefighters with the NSFPD and several sheriff”s deputies were dispatched to the Elem Indian Colony on Sulphur Bank Road on a report that a mobile home was on fire and that at least one occupant was still inside.
Upon arrival, firefighters began battling the blaze while sheriff”s deputies quickly learned that all occupants had made it out of the mobile home unharmed.
The mobile home at No. 22 Pomo Drive was reportedly “fully-involved” when emergency personnel arrived. Within less than 15 minutes of their arrival, firefighters had the blaze under control. However, the home was later determined to be a total loss as a result of the fire.
Sheriff”s deputies at the scene quickly learned from witnesses that several men were seen running away from the fire as it broke out. It was also reported that the owners had been threatened the previous day that the home would be burned down. Nathan Mark Brown, 60, had just taken delivery of the new mobile home the previous day from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA.) Detectives with the Sheriff”s Major Crimes Unit were called out to assist with the investigation.
The investigation has thus far revealed that Nathan Brown and his son, Robert Anthony Brown, 40, were both in the mobile home when the fire started. Robert Brown told deputies he had stayed awake all night because of the threats made the previous day. He told deputies that he was in one bedroom of the home when he heard a “crackling” sound outside. When he went outside, he saw that one end of the mobile home was on fire so he quickly went back in and woke up his father. The two of them ran out of the trailer and considered trying to fight the fire with an extinguisher but it was already out of control.
Witnesses in the area reported seeing several men running away from the fire shortly after it started. Sheriff”s detectives are currently trying to positively identify those subjects and determine their involvement in the apparent arson. The criminal investigation, as well as the exact cause and origin of the fire, are pending further investigation.
