Fatal Mobile Home Fire Southeast Of Shallowater
By: Michaela MacDonald
Updated: March 6, 2013
An overnight fire near Shallowater claimed the lives of a mother and her 4 year old son. Three fire departments responded around 3 am, but a witness says it was too late.
"I saw the fire on top of the trailer it was already engulfed," said Matthew Flores.
When Matthew Flores saw his neighbor's trailer on fire he leaped into action.
"We didn't hear nobody inside, I went in the back of the trailer and like kind of broke out a window and yelled in there see if anybody was in there. Nobody was responding," said Flores.
And he didn't stop there, Flores went on to warn his other neighbors that the fire was quickly spreading.
"I saw that the fire was spreading to the car so I went next door and told them and warned them y'all might want to get out because the fire is spreading," said Flores.
The Sheriff's Office has not yet identified the victims, but Flores says they have family in the complex.
"When the lady came running out saying that you know it might have been her mom in there," said Flores.
Flores says the mother and son had just moved in within the last week, and even had a family gathering this weekend
"They had a BBQ and the whole family was out there." said Flores, "Its sad to see that especially when lives are lost and that's bad, but I try to help as much as I can there was nothing I could do though."
Flores says it took the fire department about twenty to twenty-five minutes to respond, because the mobile home park is in a pretty rural location. But he is happy they got here when they did because by that point the fire was engulfed in flames and he was afraid it would blow up.
The Sheriffs Office says the identification wont be available until after the autopsy, which could take a few days.
"I saw the fire on top of the trailer it was already engulfed," said Matthew Flores.
When Matthew Flores saw his neighbor's trailer on fire he leaped into action.
"We didn't hear nobody inside, I went in the back of the trailer and like kind of broke out a window and yelled in there see if anybody was in there. Nobody was responding," said Flores.
And he didn't stop there, Flores went on to warn his other neighbors that the fire was quickly spreading.
"I saw that the fire was spreading to the car so I went next door and told them and warned them y'all might want to get out because the fire is spreading," said Flores.
The Sheriff's Office has not yet identified the victims, but Flores says they have family in the complex.
"When the lady came running out saying that you know it might have been her mom in there," said Flores.
Flores says the mother and son had just moved in within the last week, and even had a family gathering this weekend
"They had a BBQ and the whole family was out there." said Flores, "Its sad to see that especially when lives are lost and that's bad, but I try to help as much as I can there was nothing I could do though."
Flores says it took the fire department about twenty to twenty-five minutes to respond, because the mobile home park is in a pretty rural location. But he is happy they got here when they did because by that point the fire was engulfed in flames and he was afraid it would blow up.
The Sheriffs Office says the identification wont be available until after the autopsy, which could take a few days.
