Woman dies in mobile home fire in rural Whatcom County
A Whatcom County woman died this week when her mobile home was destroyed by fire, officials said.
Chief Hank Maleng of Whatcom County Fire District 16 said the woman, whose name wasn’t released, lived in a double-wide mobile home on property near 5198 NP Road, which is east of Highway 9 in the rural community of Wickersham.
No other injuries were reported and the woman was the only person at home when the fire was reported about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, Maleng said.
Cause of the fire was undetermined, he said.
Initial firefighting efforts were difficult because the site is accessible only by a footpath about 600 feet from the road, in an area without hydrants for water supply.
The home was engulfed in flames when he arrived, Maleng said.
Firefighters had to stop BNSF Railway trains so they could drag hoses across the tracks, he said.
Fire District 16, which serves rural Van Zandt, Acme and Wickersham, got help from Fire District 18 in South Lake Whatcom, Fire District 1 in Everson-Nooksack, and Fire District 14 in Kendall, which sent water tenders, additional fire engines and firefighters.
