‘Flames were through the roof and extended out the windows’ on fire near Bellis Fair

A candle that was left burning in a bathroom is believed to be the cause of a Sunday morning fire that destroyed one mobile home unit near Bellis Fair Mall, damaged two others and sent one man to the the hospital with burn injuries.

A man in his 70s was injured when he noticed something was happening in the bathroom, opened the door and was met by a rush of fire. Neighbors were able to help the man out of the unit before fire crews arrived, according to Bellingham Fire Department Assistant Chief Bill Hewett.

The fire was at Bakerview Mobile Estates, 4015 Eliza Ave., and crews responded at 10:43 a.m. Sunday.

“The first units found a double-wide mobile home that was well involved in fire,” Hewett said. “Flames were through the roof and extended out the windows. It was starting to impinge on a second mobile home next door. ... A lot of people saw it. There was a large plume of smoke and the flames were pretty high.”

Hewett said medics treated the man who lived in the first unit for burn injuries to his arms and head and took him to St. Joesph’s Hospital.

Meanwhile, five engine companies and and ladder truck battled the blaze and tried to keep it from spreading to other nearby units. By the time the fire was extinguished, the initial unit was a complete loss, Hewett said, as was a shed. A motor home and a car also were damaged.

The second unit also suffered some damage, Hewett said, while a third located behind the initial fire had vinyl siding melted by the head of the flames. Hewett said the Red Cross was working with the occupants of the first two units to provide temporary housing.

Interviews and evidence at the scene led investigators to conclude the fire was started by the candle, Hewett said.

A female resident of the units was home at the time but was not injured, Hewett said, though one firefighter was treated for a heat-related injury and returned to work.