Mammoth Lakes Fire Department news releases

A cause has been determined for the structure fire that occurred at 8 am on Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at 129 Center Street (previous location of Red Lily).

An accumulation of bedding and sleeping bags had been placed on top of a propane heater at some point after last winter season. Though the owner had thought that the propane to the heater had been turned off, when the temperatures got cold during the past couple of nights, unknown to the owner, the heater activated based upon a thermostat setting and eventually the flammable material ignited.

Fortunately, employees going to work at an adjoining business noticed the smoke, investigated, and realized that the structure was on fire. The group forced open the door thinking that someone may be in the structure, but realized that the occupant was not in the building when that individual came around the exterior corner of the structure and joined them.

The group sprayed several fire extinguishers and used a hose to knock down the flames. There were no injuries though there was moderate damage to the structure contents.

The work of the initial neighbors and the fact that they recognized what equipment they needed and had previously obtained fire extinguishers for their place of business and vehicles, cannot be overstated. Staying near the exterior door and remaining low to the floor, spraying the extinguishers at the base of the fire, the group rotated their entry into the room. Upon arrival, the Fire Department personnel extinguished a few persistent spots and then overhauled the contents to ensure that the fire was out.

Initial press release

At shortly after 8 am on Wednesday, October 4, 2017, a structure fire was reported at 129 Center Street (previous location of Red Lily). Employees going to work at an adjoining business noticed the unusual amount of smoke, investigated, and realized that the structure was on fire. Their immediate notification and actions kept the amount of damage to a minimum. There were no injuries of the occupied structure, though there was moderate damage to the contents.

The actions of the employees at Clean Sweep, the Luxury Outlet Mall, and Mammoth Reservations kept the fire damage to a minimum. One employee noticed the fire as he was coming to work, altered the other employees, one of whom called 911, and together they gathered fire extinguishers, a garden hose and power washer, and knocked down the fire until fire personnel arrived. The group was concerned that there may be someone inside, and began making attempts to break open the front door, when the person they were concerned about came around the exterior corner of the structure and joined them. Together, they forced open the door, sprayed several fire extinguishers onto the area of the fire, and sprayed a hose through a broken window onto the flames. Their quick action minimized structure and content damage.

The work of the initial neighbors and the fact that they recognized what equipment they needed and had previously obtained fire extinguishers for their place of business and vehicles, cannot be overstated. Staying near the exterior door and remaining low to the floor, sprayed the extinguishers at the base of the fire, they rotated their entry into the room. Upon Arrival, the Fire Department personnel extinguished a few persistent spots and then overhauled the contents to ensure that the fire was out.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

 

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