Posted: Jan 6, 2011 10:40 AM by Kelly Orsini, Ariel Wesler
Updated: Jan 10, 2011 10:31 PM
Firefighters in Lompoc are busy clearing out a mobile home where a fire claimed the life of a young man Thursday morning. The fire started at about 4:30 a.m. at a mobile home in Mountain View Mobile Estates, a senior community located on East Pine Street.
Lompoc City Firefighters say the 65-year-old woman who lived in the mobile home had a lot of belongings that were blocking the way into the house, which made battling the fire difficult. Investigators say the woman, who is disabled, smelled smoke and got out safely. Firefighters say her granddaughter, 19-year-old Alicia Van Wagenen, and her 20-year-old male friend started to come out of the home but, for unknown reasons, turned back. They got lost in the smoke and the young man died. An unknown number of animals also died. Firefighters have so far removed 3 dead cats and 1 dead dog from the home. But neighbors say the grandmother had more pets.
Alicia Van Wagenen was rushed to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara where she was listed in critical condition. Friends say she will be taken to a Los Angeles-area burn center.
Investigators believe the home did have a working smoke detector. They're still trying to figure out what caused the fire.
Watch KSBY news at 5 and 6 p.m. for complete coverage, including interviews with neighbors and friends of the victims.
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